Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has called for the swift completion of the Patna-Gaya-Dobhi four-lane highway project after inspecting its progress. Once finished, the highway is expected to cut travel time between Patna and Gaya to just two hours, significantly improving connectivity. During his visit, Kumar stopped at the Basuhar bridge in Punpun while en route to Jehanabad to personally assess ongoing works. He was accompanied by senior officials, including Minister-in-Charge Ashok Chaudhary, Principal Secretary of Road Construction Pratyaya Amrit, and Chief Minister’s Principal Secretary Deepak Kumar. National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Project Director Ghulam Qadir shared that the Chief Minister has instructed them to open one lane of the railway overbridge by September 30, with the entire highway set to become fully operational by the end of December. The Patna-Gaya-Dobhi highway project, initiated in 2010, has faced multiple delays, pushing its cost from the initial Rs 16 billion to over Rs 50 billion. Spanning 39 km in Patna, 44 km in Jehanabad, and 44.22 km in Gaya, the highway will link Patna to the Grand Trunk Road near Dobhi, passing through key areas like Jehanabad and Gaya. Despite earlier setbacks, including construction firms withdrawing and land acquisition challenges, over 90% of the work is now complete, with the remaining tasks expected to conclude by December. The project received renewed momentum after Patna High Court began monitoring its progress. Once operational, the highway will alleviate traffic congestion, provide a seamless connection to the Patna bypass, and significantly ease travel for pilgrims visiting Gaya, a prominent religious destination. (ET)