PATNA, Oct. 6 -- A 33.5-km-long stretch of the six-lane Varanasi-Ranchi-Kolkata expressway, passing through the Anirbansalia village in Dumaria block to Samgrampur in Imamganj block of Gaya, is expected to be operational for traffic by June next year, said a senior official from the state road construction department said on Monday. The project, called the NH-319E, is a key corridor, the official said, adding that 28% of the work on this Bihar segment is complete. The 800-km-long expressway, which begins from Varanasi and ends at Kolkata, passing through Bihar and Jharkhand, will pass through Gaya district under package-7, the official added. The construction, which was launched on July 1, 2025, is being executed at an estimated cost of Rs.1,248.37 crore. Road construction department (RCD) secretary Pankaj Kumar Pal described the corridor as a joint effort of the Central and state governments that would open a new chapter in Bihar's infrastructure development. "The six-lane expressway would significantly improve connectivity across Gaya and the wider Magadh region while forging smoother links between Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. Travel times are expected to fall sharply. Heavy vehicles and freight carriers will gain a modern, reliable route, translating into measurable savings of both fuel and time," he said. Pal noted that the new alignment would make journeys to Bodh Gaya and Gaya far more comfortable for domestic and international tourists arriving from Banaras (Kashi), Ranchi and Kolkata. The improved access, he said, is likely to stimulate local tourism and related industries. Project director, NHAI, Devendra Kumar Bansal underlined the economic benefits for rural communities. "Farmers and small traders in the surrounding areas will find it easier to move agricultural produce and other goods directly to major markets in Kolkata, Ranchi and Varanasi. Lower logistics and transportation costs should enable producers to secure better prices for their output, strengthening rural livelihoods across the region," he said. Taken together, the project is expected to deliver a broad boost to tourism, business and agricultural activity once the full corridor becomes operational, officials said. Train services have started running on the new railway bridge, built parallel to the Rajendra Setu across the Ganga at Mokama, following a successful inspection and safety clearance from the Commissioner of Railway Safety on Saturday, officials said. Constructed at a cost of Rs.2,400 crore, the new structure stands roughly 50 metres from the existing bridge on the Patna side. The double-rail line is a key compnent of a larger 15.5 km infrastructure project, which features a 1.9-km main bridge with 17 steel spans and 3.6 km of rail viaduct. The project also encompasses the completion of eight road overbridges, two road underbridges, and three additional overbridges....