Kacchi Dargah-Bidupur bridge over Ganga to be named Nitish Setu; PM Modi to inaugurate it on Nov 21

Bihar's newly constructed Kacchi Dargah-Bidupur six-lane bridge over the Ganga will be named 'Nitish Setu' after former chief minister Nitish Kumar and inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 21, the state government announced on Friday.

The bridge, constructed at a cost of around ₹5,000 crore, will be inaugurated during Modi's scheduled visit to Bihar, a day after the new National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in the state completes one year.

The foundation stone of the bridge was laid in August 2015. A portion of the bridge between Kacchi Dargah and Raghopur was inaugurated by Kumar last year before the assembly elections.

Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary announced the decision in a post on X on Friday afternoon, saying the Kacchi Dargah-Bidupur six-lane bridge would be named 'Nitish Setu' and dedicated to the nation by Modi on November 21.

The 9.7-km-long bridge will connect Patna with north Bihar districts, including Vaishali, and is expected to reduce travel time for commuters. The chief minister said in a statement that the bridge would improve connectivity between north and south Bihar and mark a major achievement in the state's infrastructure development.

The decision to name the six-lane bridge after Kumar was welcomed by the JD(U), which described the move as recognition of the party strongman's leadership and contribution to Bihar's development during his 20 years as chief minister.

" PM Modi had called former CM Nitish Kumar as a true socialist and also praised his leadership and relentless efforts to develop Bihar during his stint as CM . Nitish Kumar is a tall leader and naming a bridge is certainly a recognition of his contribution to the state," said Rajeev Ranjan, national spokesperson of the JD(U). " JD(U)-BJP ties are strong and this decision would strengthen our alliance more," Ranjan said.

BJP state spokesperson Prem Ranjan Patel said the decision was a welcome move and would help people and future generations understand Kumar's contribution to boosting infrastructure in Bihar and his role in envisaging the new bridge and getting it constructed using the state's internal resources.

" Former CM Kumar has worked for the state's development and the naming of a bridge after him is a welcome move as Bihar has progressed under the leadership of former CM and also support of PM Modi as well as central government," Patel said.

The opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), meanwhile, has not made any official statement on the decision so far.