Loknayak Ganga Path
Patna Marine Drive[1]
Route information
Length20.5 km (12.7 mi)
StatusCurrently functional
Existed24 June 2022–present
Major junctions
West endDigha
East endDeedarganj
Location
CountryIndia
StateBihar
Major citiesPatna
Highway system
State Highways in Bihar

Jp Ganga Path (Ganga Pathway) or Patna Marine Drive is an expressway along the Ganga river in Patna, Bihar, India.[2][3] It is being jointly constructed by the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) and the Government of Bihar.[4][5] Jp Ganga Path (Patna Marine Drive) was planned to ensure a smooth flow of traffic between east Patna and west Patna, and ease the traffic congestion at Ashok Rajpath.[6][7]

The first phase of the expressway was open to the public on 24 June 2022.[8] The second phase of Patna Marine Drive was inaugurated by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on 14 August 2023.[9][10]

History

It was approved in August 2007 and the ground breaking ceremony was held on 11 October 2013 by the Chief Minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar.[11] It was expected to be completed by the end of 2022.[12][13] On 24 June 2022, the first phase of the expressway was inaugurated by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.[8]

Ganga Path project which has been in pipeline for many years, dubbed as the Marine Drive of Patna, the Ganga Path or Ganga Expressway will connect Digha to Kacchi Dargah along the river Ganges. The tender for the same is likely to be issued by the second week of May by Bihar State Road Development Corporation and the contract will be finalized by June.[14][15]

The Expressway

It is a 20.5-kilometre-long (12.7 mi) road built between Digha and Deedarganj in Patna at a cost of Rs.2234.46 crores.

Phase I : 6.5 km

The first phase of the project between Digha to Patna Medical College and Hospital , covering 6.5 km long was inaugurated on 24 June 2022.[16] The road has been constructed on 13 metre high dam.

Phase II : 5 km

The second phase from Patna Medical College Hospital to Gai Ghat, covering 5 km was inaugurated on 14 August 2023. The second phase extends the road by 18 km to Fatuha.[17] The Ganga Path is 6.5 km at-grade level and 14 km elevated.[18]

Phase III : 9 km

The third phase of project from Gandhi Setu to Deedarganj is under construction.[19]

Cost

The total cost involved in this mega project is ₹5600 crore, having time interval for its completion to be four years. After the private investors failed to appear on the horizon, the State government itself decided to go ahead with the project. The Cabinet has given approval to take loan of ₹2000 crore from Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) and the rest amount of ₹1,160 crore is to be raised through the State resources. HUDCO has agreed to provide the loan at a floating interest rate of 10.75%, to be returned in 16 years after completion of the project. Out of the total budget, a sum of ₹2,770 crore will be spent on the construction of road and elevation work and ₹390 crore on land acquisition and utility shifting.

Decongest Patna

The expressway will ensure a smooth flow of traffic between east to west Patna, and also ease the traffic congestion at Ashok Rajpath.[20] There will be nine points on the expressway connected to Ashok Rajpath. It will be a toll road. The much-anticipated project will give breath to the heavily congested roads of east to west Patna. It will not only give a beautiful riverfront but will also give a boost to the economic activities of the area.[21]

Features at a glance

  • Total length : 23.04 km
  • Drive way : 4-Lane, 14 m;km
  • Drive way on land : 16 km
  • Footpath : 5-foot on either side of drive way
  • Connection to bridges: Digha Rail bridge, Mahatma Gandhi Setu, Kacchi Dargah-Bidupur Bridge
  • Total cost : ₹3,106 Crore[22]

Patna Riverfront

It is planned as 4.5 km long riverfront along Ganges.[23] 20 ghats were to be developed along a 2.3-km promenade with four cultural centres on the stretch of Patna riverfront. 4.5-metre wide esplanade has to stretch from Collectorate Ghat to Adalat Ghat (470m), Adalat Ghat to Gandhi Ghat (1132mt), Gandhi Ghat to Rani Ghat (384m) and — after a gap of few ghats — Bhadra Ghat to Nauzar Ghat (330m). This project is part of National Ganga River Basin Authority.

Status updates

  • Aug 2017: 14 ghats have been completed.
  • June 2022 the first phase of the expressway was inaugurated by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on 24 June.[8]
  • June 2022 The ‘Patna Marine Drive’ will shorten the distance from Digha to PMCH by 15-20 minutes[24]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "CM Nitish Kumar inspects construction works on JP Ganga Path, also known as Patna Marine Drive, for third time in 67 days".
  2. ↑ "Patna's Marine Drive will now be extended up to Bakhtiyarpur in east direction and Sherpur in west".
  3. ↑ "Four-lane Ganga highway to be ready by September '17 - Times of India". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 13 January 2016. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
  4. ↑ "Ganga Marine Drive in Patna to be operational by 2017 end". news.biharprabha.com. 12 April 2015. Archived from the original on 16 April 2015. Retrieved 14 April 2015.
  5. ↑ "Driveway hits river wall". www.telegraphindia.com. Archived from the original on 2 June 2016.
  6. ↑ "Construction work on Patna Marine Drive will be completed up to Gaighat by June this year, officials tell CM Nitish Kumar".
  7. ↑ "Ganga Path to be ready up to Gaighat in Patna by June".
  8. 1 2 3 Tripathi, Piyush (24 June 2022). "Bihar CM Nitish Kumar to open Ganga Path, 2 more projects today". The Times of India. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  9. ↑ "Ganga Path-Gaighat stretch set for launch in mid-August".
  10. ↑ "CM to open Lohia Path Chakra & J P Path extension on Aug 14".
  11. ↑ CM to inaugurate work on Ganga Path today Archived 14 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com (2013-10-11). Retrieved on 2013-12-06.
  12. ↑ Patna's Marine Drive to ease traffic snarl in 4 years Archived 16 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com (2013-10-12). Retrieved on 2013-12-06.
  13. ↑ "Bihar's bane hits Ganga drive". www.telegraphindia.com. Archived from the original on 14 May 2016.
  14. ↑ Work on Ganga Path to start soon The Times of India Patna 31 Mar 2013
  15. ↑ Work on Ganga Path to start soon BIHAR FOUNDATION 31 March 2013
  16. ↑ "Patna's version of Marine Drive to open for public today".
  17. ↑ Bihar CM Nitish Kumar lays foundation stone of Ganga Expressway Archived 16 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine. Indiatoday.intoday.in (2013-10-12). Retrieved on 2013-12-06.
  18. ↑ "Ganga pathway: Patna's version of Mumbai's Marine Drive to be opened next year".
  19. ↑ "JP Ganga Path now to be extended till Deedarganj".
  20. ↑ "Construction work on Patna Marine Drive will be completed up to Gaighat by June this year, officials tell CM Nitish Kumar".
  21. ↑ [pdf]Clarification of Pre-bid Meeting held on 22.08.2012 for Ganga Path ... Archived 16 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine bsrdcl.bih.nic.in Sept 01, 2012
  22. ↑ Patna's Ganga Path project to finally take off Archived 16 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine go4patna.com. 2 April 2013.
  23. ↑ "Patna riverfront project delayed". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 13 November 2017.
  24. ↑ "Bihar gets its own version of Mumbai's Marine Drive and London's Thames Path". mint. 25 June 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
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