States » EastPosted at: Nov 3 2026 5:36PM


Bihar to use river silt for road construction under ‘Nadi Sanjeevani’ scheme: Samrat

Patna, Nov 3 (UNI) Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary said on Tuesday that the state’s ‘Nadi Sanjeevani’ scheme would help rejuvenate rivers through scientific desilting and management, reduce the impact of floods and improve water availability for irrigation.
Addressing an event in the presence of union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, Choudhary said in an official release here that an MoU had been signed between the ministry and the Bihar government to facilitate the use of excavated silt in national highways and other infrastructure projects.
He said Bihar was the first state in the country to formulate a dedicated Water Resources Restoration and Silt Management Policy, 2026, to scientifically manage silt deposited in rivers and other water bodies.
Under the initiative, 243 lakh cubic metres of silt would be made available free of cost for use in 16 ongoing national highway projects, he said.
Choudhary said the initiative would improve the water-holding and flow capacity of rivers while providing an alternative construction material for infrastructure projects. The state government would facilitate mining licences for the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), wherever required, in accordance with the rules.
Highlighting Bihar’s recurring flood problems, the Chief Minister said heavy rainfall in Nepal and water flowing in from other states caused annual flooding in the state. Silt accumulation in the Ganga, partly due to the Farakka barrage, was also a serious concern. Scientific desilting and river rejuvenation would help mitigate the impact of floods, improve water management and ensure better availability of water for farmers, he said.
Choudhary said Bihar was not opposed to supplying water to Bangladesh, but the state’s own requirements must also be taken into account. Under the existing arrangement, Bihar could use Ganga water only during July, August, September and October, he said, stressing the need for adequate water for agriculture, industry and drinking purposes.
He also urged Gadkari to consider constructing four-lane roads along both banks of the Ganga.
The Chief Minister said silt would be used not only in road construction but also in other infrastructure projects being developed in the state.
Bihar was working towards developing 12 townships across 80,000 acres, including Pataliputra in Patna, Magadh in Gaya, Ang in Munger, Vikramshila in Bhagalpur, Kosi in Saharsa, Mithila in Darbhanga, Tirhut in Muzaffarpur and Sitapuram near the birthplace of Goddess Sita, he said.
The state was also accelerating plans to construct 10 new airports and 32 medical colleges, he added.
Choudhary said 39 NHAI projects worth Rs 58,340 crore, covering 1,561 km, were currently under construction in Bihar. Another 11 projects, covering 1,982 km and estimated to cost Rs 1,85,200 crore, had been proposed. Construction of 29 new bridges over various rivers in the state was also underway, he said.
Gadkari said Bihar would undertake desilting along the lines of Maharashtra’s successful Buldhana model, which would promote river rejuvenation and water conservation.
The project would not impose any financial burden on the government, he said, adding that removal of silt would increase the water-holding capacity of rivers, improve water availability for farmers and help reduce annual flood damage.
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