November 26, 2018
The loan will complement Bihar Government’s efforts to upgrade all state highways to improve regional connectivity
Currently, ADB supports over 30 projects in India, a vital contributor to India’s infrastructure development initiatives
This will boost economic activities in the state; In April 2018, BIhar received investment interest worth US$400 million
BIhar has attracted investments worth over US$3.4 billion from companies such as France’s Alstom and US’s GE
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Government of India on November 26 signed a US$200 million loan deal to support roadways projects in the state of Bihar. The funding will see into widening and upgrading of about 230 km of state highways to all-weather standards with road safety features. The loan will complement Bihar Government’s efforts to upgrade all state highways to meet the minimum two-lane standard with better surfaces and improved road safety leading to improved connectivity.
Improved roads in the state will contribute to savings in vehicle operating cost and travel time, while reducing vehicle emissions. This is expected to considerably boost economic activities in the state. On the back of state initiatives to boost infrastructure, in April 2018, the state had received investment interest worth US$400 million at an investor’s summit organized by Bihar Investment Promotion Board. The state has attracted investments of over US$3.4 billion from companies such as Alstom and GE.
Since 2008, ADB has provided four loans to Bihar, amounting to US$1.4 billion, to upgrade about 1,453 km of state highways and to construct a new bridge over the Ganga River near Patna. Apart from Bihar, ADB has been supporting infrastructure projects around the nation. Earlier this month, the Philippines based regional development bank has forwarded funding worth over US$270 million for a water and sanitation project in Tamil Nadu and a power transmission project in Himachal Pradesh.