Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday underscored the crucial role of security and peace in unlocking Bihar’s development potential, recalling that the state’s journey from the days of ‘Jungle Raj’ to prosperity began under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s leadership. Addressing a large public gathering in Bihar, he noted that dilapidated highways, rundown rail networks, and scant air connectivity now belong to the past.
PM Modi highlighted the transformation of Bihar’s aviation landscape. “Once, Patna was our state’s only airport,” he said. “Today, Darbhanga Airport is fully operational, offering direct flights to Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru.” He further announced that the new terminal at Patna Airport—capable of handling one crore passengers annually—was inaugurated just the previous evening. An additional ₹1,400 crore investment will now be channelled into developing Bihta Airport, he added.
Turning to roads and bridges, the Prime Minister described the rapid expansion of multi-lane highways. He cited the four-lane corridors from Patna to Buxar and Gaya to Dobhi, as well as the Patna–Ara–Sasaram Greenfield Corridor, which he said is progressing at a “swift pace.” “New bridges over the Ganga, Son, Gandak, and Kosi rivers are not just steel and concrete; they are gateways to opportunity,” Modi remarked, pointing out that these projects—worth several thousand crores—are generating employment for thousands of young people and fueling growth in tourism and trade.
On railways, PM Modi lauded the introduction of world-class Vande Bharat trains in Bihar and the ongoing doubling and tripling of key lines. “Work is advancing rapidly from Chhapra to Muzaffarpur to Katihar,” he noted, adding that multi-tracking between Son Nagar and Andal will significantly enhance train movement. “Over 100 trains now halt at Sasaram, a testament to our improved connectivity,” he said, while lamenting that previous administrations had exploited recruitment processes, delaying the railway network’s modernization.
Emphasizing that development is incomplete without reliable power, the Prime Minister drew attention to Bihar’s remarkable growth in electricity consumption—now four times higher than a decade ago. He announced the construction of a major NTPC power plant at Nabinagar, with an outlay of ₹30,000 crore and a capacity of 1,500 megawatts. Projects for new thermal power plants in Buxar and Pirpainti have also been initiated, he added.