From Banana Farms to Makhana Markets: The Highway Set to Power Bihar’s Agricultural Heartland

The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has received Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approval to upgrade the Khagaria‑Purnea stretch of NH‑31 and NH‑231 in Bihar to a four‑lane highway at a cost of Rs. 3936.05 crore. The project aims to cut travel time from about 3.5‑4 hours to 1.5‑2 hours, incorporate flood‑resilient engineering (improved geometry, stronger pavement, modern drainage) and alleviate congestion in Khagaria, Bhagalpur, Katihar and Purnea districts. It will link five PM Gati Shakti economic nodes (one textile cluster, two mega food parks, two fishing/seafood parks) and 11 logistics nodes (four rail stations, one airport, four national highways, two state highways), thereby enhancing multimodal connectivity for Bihar’s banana and makhana producers and strengthening links with West Bengal and Jharkhand.