The Indian government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Thursday (July 27) signed an agreement for a USD 295-million loan for the upgradation of 265 km of state highways in Bihar. According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance, ADB and the central government signed an agreement to upgrade highways in Bihar with climate and disaster-resilient design and road safety elements.
The agreement will enhance the connectivity and sustainability of Bihar highways. Vumlunmang Vualnam, additional secretary, department of economic affairs, signed on behalf of the Indian government, while Takeo Konishi, country director for ADB in India, signed for ADB.
ADB project to enhance connectivity
The project aims at supporting the government of Bihar’s programme to upgrade all state highways to standard two-lane widths and improve road safety. Moreover, it will also enhance connectivity in some of Bihar’s poorest rural districts. The project will also improve people’s lives by promoting access to health, education facilities and markets.
“Besides upgrading roads, the ADB project builds on earlier efforts to enhance the state road agency’s management and implementation capacity, and will strengthen the systems for planning, road safety, and sustainability,” said Konishi.
The project will also motivate and encourage women’s participation by providing employment to female workers at construction sites, the statement said, adding that the training in livelihood, as well as awareness about road safety, health, hygiene, abuse and harassment, will be offered to women from communities in the project areas.
It may be noted that ADB has provided five loans totalling USD 1.63 billion to Bihar since 2008 for the upgradation of about 1,696-kilometre state highways and the construction of a new bridge over the Ganga.