Patna, Aug 25: Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary has announced a proposal to develop a 126-km riverfront Marine Drive along the Ganga at an estimated cost of Rs 70,000 crore, in a major infrastructure push aimed at improving connectivity and generating employment.
The proposed corridor would extend the state’s riverfront road network from the Patna region towards Koilwar on the Son River, significantly expanding the existing J.P. Ganga Path, popularly known as Patna’s Marine Drive.
Under the proposed financing model, the Bihar government would contribute Rs 20,000 crore, while around Rs 50,000 crore is expected to come from private-sector investment.
Choudhary announced the proposal on August 23 during the concluding ceremony of an Employment Fair organised at Gyan Bhawan near Gandhi Maidan in Patna.
The chief minister said the project was aimed at “improving infrastructure while creating employment and attracting private investment”.
The proposed corridor would build on the existing J.P. Ganga Path, which is around 21 km long. The road project was initiated in 2013 and completed in 2025 at an estimated cost of about Rs 6,000 crore.
According to the government, the proposed extension could boost river-side connectivity, encourage private investment and support the expansion of commercial and economic activities along the Ganga.
The project is also being linked to the state’s employment-generation efforts, with the government highlighting its potential to create new opportunities for young people and stimulate economic activity along the proposed route.
Choudhary said the proposed project would create “new opportunities for investment and employment” along the corridor.
However, the Rs 70,000-crore Marine Drive remains at the proposal stage. Its detailed financing structure, implementation mechanism and execution plan are yet to be finalised.
If implemented, the 126-km corridor would significantly expand Bihar’s riverfront infrastructure beyond Patna and could create a major connectivity and economic corridor along the Ganga and Son rivers.
