Representative image.
The ministry of road transport and highways and Bihar government will undertake desilting of identified rivers and other water bodies and utilisation of suitable excavated silt in National Highway construction projects in the state.
An MoU was signed between the ministry and state of Bihar to this effect on Tuesday.
The plan is to use 243 lakh cubic metres of silt in 16 ongoing National Highway projects and another 835 lakh cubic metres for 27 future projects in the state.
Currently, 39 projects of the National Highways Authority of India covering approximately 1,561 km, with an estimated investment of Rs 58,340 crore, are under construction in Bihar while another 11 projects covering around 1,982 km and involving an estimated investment of Rs 1,85,200 crore are proposed.
The availability of suitable excavated silt is expected to meet a significant part of the material requirement of these projects, reduce construction costs and facilitate timely execution of highway works.
Envisioned as ‘Nadi Sanjivani’, the initiative seeks to restore the water-carrying capacity of rivers and water bodies, strengthen flood management, conserve agricultural land and provide a sustainable source of construction material for National Highway projects.
“Accumulated silt has significantly affected the carrying capacity of rivers, contributing to floods, damage to agricultural land and loss of property. Bihar faces recurring challenges of flooding and water scarcity, particularly due to rivers originating in Nepal that carry substantial quantities of water and sediment into the state, road minister Nitin Gadkari said.
“Scientific desilting would help improve water flow and drainage, restore water bodies and make suitable excavated material available for highway construction,” he added.
Gadkari said that the initiative would create a mutually beneficial framework in which river restoration supports infrastructure development, while utilisation of excavated silt reduces dependence on fresh earth material and agricultural soil.
“This would help conserve productive agricultural land, reduce construction costs and facilitate faster completion of highway projects,” he said urging other states facing similar challenges to promote sustainable infrastructure development and improved water management.
An MoU was signed between the ministry and state of Bihar to this effect on Tuesday.
The plan is to use 243 lakh cubic metres of silt in 16 ongoing National Highway projects and another 835 lakh cubic metres for 27 future projects in the state.
Currently, 39 projects of the National Highways Authority of India covering approximately 1,561 km, with an estimated investment of Rs 58,340 crore, are under construction in Bihar while another 11 projects covering around 1,982 km and involving an estimated investment of Rs 1,85,200 crore are proposed.
The availability of suitable excavated silt is expected to meet a significant part of the material requirement of these projects, reduce construction costs and facilitate timely execution of highway works.
Envisioned as ‘Nadi Sanjivani’, the initiative seeks to restore the water-carrying capacity of rivers and water bodies, strengthen flood management, conserve agricultural land and provide a sustainable source of construction material for National Highway projects.
“Accumulated silt has significantly affected the carrying capacity of rivers, contributing to floods, damage to agricultural land and loss of property. Bihar faces recurring challenges of flooding and water scarcity, particularly due to rivers originating in Nepal that carry substantial quantities of water and sediment into the state, road minister Nitin Gadkari said.
“Scientific desilting would help improve water flow and drainage, restore water bodies and make suitable excavated material available for highway construction,” he added.
Gadkari said that the initiative would create a mutually beneficial framework in which river restoration supports infrastructure development, while utilisation of excavated silt reduces dependence on fresh earth material and agricultural soil.
“This would help conserve productive agricultural land, reduce construction costs and facilitate faster completion of highway projects,” he said urging other states facing similar challenges to promote sustainable infrastructure development and improved water management.