NHAI and Bihar government sign pact to desilt water bodies
The agreement aims to use 243 lakh cubic metres of silt for National Highway projects in the state.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Bihar government signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Tuesday to desilt water bodies and use the silt for National Highway projects in Bihar, according to ThePrint.
The agreement was signed in New Delhi in the presence of Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary.
The NHAI stated it has identified a requirement for approximately 243 lakh cubic metres of silt for ongoing and proposed projects in the state.
The initiative seeks to restore the water-retention capacity of water bodies and provide suitable fill material for highway construction, which will reduce dependence on agricultural soil.
Bihar currently has 39 ongoing National Highway projects covering 1,561 km at an estimated cost of Rs 58,340 crore, and 11 proposed projects covering 1,982 km with an estimated investment of Rs 1,85,200 crore.
The Road Construction Department (RCD) will act as the nodal agency, with a state-level coordination committee to review proposals, approvals, and implementation progress.