New Delhi, Nov 3 Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said NHAI will use sand and other material excavated from rivers and water bodies in Bihar as primary material for building the state’s expanding national highway network.
Addressing an event after signing a memorandum of understanding between NHAI and the Bihar government to desilt water bodies and use sludge in National Highway projects in the state, Gadkari said this initiative will also help protect the environment, reduce transportation costs and save time.
“Excavated silt from rivers and water bodies in Bihar will be repurposed as primary material for building the state’s expanding national highway network,” he said.
Gadkari said Bihar suffers an annual loss of approximately Rs 10,000 crore due to floods.
“Our objective is to gradually move towards making Bihar flood-free through this very initiative.
“…if we succeed, a day will come when Bihar will no longer suffer from floods. This is possible,” he said.
Gadkari highlighted that 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, which carry substantial quantities of water and sediment into the state.
He emphasised that scientific desilting would help improve water flow and drainage, restore water bodies and make suitable excavated material available for highway construction.
The minister stated 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, Gadkari added.
He further emphasised that implementation would be undertaken in coordination with the Bihar government with appropriate technical assessments and safeguards.
Expressing confidence in the initiative, Gadkari said that the model could be extended to other states facing similar challenges, promoting sustainable infrastructure development and improved water management.
The National Highways Authority of India and the Bihar government on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding to desilt water bodies and use silt in National Highway projects.
In a statement, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) said it has identified a requirement for about 243 lakh cubic metres of silt for ongoing and proposed National Highway projects in Bihar.
National Highway projects in Bihar include 39 ongoing projects covering around 1,561 km at an estimated cost of Rs 58,340 crore, and 11 proposed projects covering around 1,982 km with an estimated investment of Rs 1,85,200 crore, it added.
The MoU was signed in the presence of Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary in the national capital.
According to the statement, the initiative seeks to address two important developmental priorities, including restoring the water-carrying and water-retention capacity of water bodies affected by accumulated silt and ensuring the availability of suitable earth and fill material for the construction of National Highways.
By facilitating the utilisation of excavated silt, the initiative will help to reduce dependence on agricultural soil for infrastructure development, it added.
The agreement provides an institutional framework for coordinated action between the Bihar government and NHAI and will be implemented in accordance with the Bihar Water Sources Restoration and Silt Management Policy 2026 and other applicable environmental and statutory provisions.
The desilting process will be undertaken scientifically, following detailed technical assessments of the identified water bodies. The pact establishes a coordinated and time-bound mechanism for processing NHAI’s requests.
The Road Construction Department (RCD) under the Bihar government will act as the nodal agency.
A state-level coordination committee will review project proposals, approvals, implementation progress, compliance and operational issues, the statement said.
The MoU incorporates safeguards to ensure that desilting activities do not adversely affect the ecological balance, riverbanks, embankments, bridges or other structures. Extraction will be permitted only at approved locations and within technically prescribed limits.
The quality and suitability of the excavated silt for National Highway construction will be established through appropriate testing in accordance with applicable Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) specifications and relevant Indian Roads Congress (IRC) codes.
Regular monitoring, joint measurement, digital record-keeping and periodic reconciliation of the quantities extracted, transported and utilised will ensure transparency and accountability.
The central government’s investment in Bihar’s National Highway infrastructure has witnessed substantial growth.
The National Highway network in the state has expanded from 4,615 km in 2014 to around 6,500 km at present.
Also, since 2014, construction of around 29 new bridges over Bihar’s major rivers has been undertaken to further strengthen regional connectivity and movement of people and goods.
By converting excavated silt into a useful construction resource, the MoU will contribute to the restoration of water bodies, conservation of agricultural land and development of National Highway infrastructure in Bihar.
(PTI News)
