PATNA, Aug. 20 -- Bihar chief secretary Amrit Lal Meena on Tuesday said that land acquisition for the much-awaited Patna-Purnea Expressway, designated as National Expressway-9 (NE-9), will commence soon, targeting completion within 100 days. The urgency to fast-track this project apparently stems from the upcoming Bihar assembly elections, with the state government eager to lay the foundation stone and appoint consultants before the election schedule is announced. As Bihar's first national expressway entirely within its borders, this project marks a historic milestone in the state's infrastructure development. Spanning 250 kilometers, the Patna-Purnea Expressway is one of Bihar's most ambitious infrastructure initiatives, officially recognised as a national expressway by the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH). Starting at Mirnagar Arezi (Hajipur) on NH-22, it will pass through Narharpur, Harlochanpur, Bajidpur, Saraunja, Rasna, Parora and Fatehpur, connecting to NH-27 (East-West Corridor) at Hansdah in Purnea district. The project features 21 major bridges, 140 minor bridges, 11 railway overbridges, 21 interchanges, and 322 underpasses, with link roads connecting Samastipur, Saharsa and Madhepura district headquarters. Once completed, it will cut travel time between Patna and Purnia to three hours, allowing vehicles to travel at speeds up to 120 kilometers per hour. This is expected to significantly boost socio-economic development in the Seemanchal region by enhancing trade, tourism, and connectivity. The land acquisition process, spanning over 250 villages across 29 blocks in six districts, is being expedited to ensure swift progress. Bihar's road construction minister, Nitin Nabin, thanked the central government for granting NE-9 status, calling it a proud moment for the state. He said that the state's commitment to supporting the project's timely completion, which will redefine Bihar's road infrastructure and drive economic growth. Beyond the Patna-Purnea Expressway, Bihar is advancing several other expressway projects under the central government's Bharatmala Pariyojana and Vision 2047 initiatives. The Amas-Darbhanga Expressway, a 198-kilometer, six-lane project costing Rs.8,000 crore, will connect Amas in Aurangabad to Nawada in Darbhanga, reducing travel time between north and south Bihar to under four hours. The Gorakhpur-Siliguri Expressway, a 520-kilometer project with 417 kilometers in Bihar, will link Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh to Siliguri in West Bengal, costing Rs.32,000 crore and targeting completion by 2025. The Raxaul-Haldia Expressway, spanning 692 kilometers and costing Rs.40,000 crore, will connect Raxaul to Haldia Port via Patna, benefiting exporters, particularly in Nepal. The Buxar-Bhagalpur Expressway, costing Rs.19,000 crore, extends the Purvanchal Expressway from Buxar to Bhagalpur, with a 92-kilometer stretch from Buxar to Koilwar inaugurated in 2022. The Munger-Bhagalpur-Mirzachauki Expressway, a 125-kilometer, four-lane project costing Rs.8,000 crore, connects Bhagalpur to Jharkhand and West Bengal. The Varanasi-Kolkata Expressway, a 610-kilometer project costing Rs.35,000 crore, will pass through Bihar's Kaimur, Aurangabad, Rohtas, and Gaya districts, with completion expected by 2026. The Patna-Sasaram Expressway, a 118-kilometer project costing Rs.4,000 crore, connects Patna to Sasaram, improving access to the Golden Quadrilateral. These projects, spanning over 1,900 kilometers and costing over Rs.59,000 crore, will connect more than 20 districts, transforming Bihar's road network. The Patna-Purnea Expressway, as the state's first national expressway, leads the way for a new era of connectivity and economic prosperity in Bihar....