Patna’s New Double‑Decker Flyover: A Game‑Changer for Urban Mobility

Patna has long suffered from serious traffic congestion, especially along Ashok Rajpath, a major artery connecting Kargil Chowk (near Gandhi Maidan) to Science College, PMCH, Patna University, BN College, and beyond. The city recently inaugurated its first ₹422 crore, 2.2 km long double‑decker flyover, marking a significant milestone in Bihar’s urban infrastructure development.

🚧 Project Overview & Strategic Vision

Initiated in December 2021, the flyover aimed to alleviate chronic congestion by segregating traffic into multiple levels: existing ground level, lower deck (~1.45 km), and upper deck (~2.2 km). These decks accommodate unidirectional traffic, easing flow between educational, medical, and residential zones.

Constructed by BRPNNL and built by Gawar Construction Limited, the flyover features two lanes per deck, each ~7.5 to 8.5 meters wide. It includes five ramps near Kargil Chowk, Patna College, BN College, Krishna Ghat, and Science College, with service roads beneath and enhanced connectivity to JP Ganga Path via Krishna Ghat. This design integrates urban flow with metro infrastructure, parking, and hospital access for patients and staff.

⏳ Construction Challenges & Delays

Originally targeted for completion by January 2025, then later February–March, the project experienced extensions due to coordination issues with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). Underground metro work near PMCH and Anjuman Islamiya Hall forced restraint on space and timelines. By March, only ~88% of superstructure and ~99% of substructure had been completed, delaying the expected opening to April 2025.

Local administration expedited work by shifting metro barricades and demolishing 51 shops along the service road—replacing them with newly constructed shops—to enable access lanes.

🎉 Inauguration & Immediate Impact

On June 11, 2025, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar inaugurated the flyover. The event drew widespread acclaim from commuters, e‑rickshaw drivers, shopkeepers, and students.

Travel time on the congested stretch dropped dramatically—from around 45 minutes to as little as 15 minutes.

E‑rickshaw driver Pintu Yadav reported:

    “For a single trip from Kargil Chowk to Mahendru, it took more than 45 minutes... today, I covered the stretch in only 15 minutes.”

Local vendors praised the flyover’s understructure parking and uninterrupted pedestrian flow.

Students benefit with smoother commutes—Akansha from BN College now saves ~20 minutes daily.

🌍 Urban Design & Community Benefits

This project reflects a multi-dimensional planning approach:

Three-layer traffic structure: metro, dual flyover decks, and service roads.

Service road creation: facilitates local access and reshapes commercial flow.

Noise reduction and aesthetics: inclusion of noise barriers, LED lighting, and green spaces under the structure.

Institutional connectivity: enhanced access for PMCH, Patna University, Science/Patna College, BN College, and Khuda Bakhsh Library—all without disturbing heritage structures.

Parking integration: links to PMCH’s multi-level parking, enabling smoother patient transfers via ambulance ramps.

🗣️ Admin Directives & Local Concerns

Despite the success, concerns emerged over service road conditions during construction—damaged areas have been slated for restoration by the end of May 2025, with notices issued to responsible agencies. The Patna DM intervened to shift metro barricading to minimize structural conflicts.

By removing encroachment and delaying metro barricades, authorities ensured completion by March–April 2025, turning the flyover from a vision into a reality.

🏁 What Lies Ahead

With civil construction largely done, finishing work continues through ground-level road repairs and service lane development. The flyover project has:

Liberated traffic on Ashok Rajpath.

Enhanced urban mobility for students, healthcare, commerce, vendors, and residents.

Prepared Patna for future growth and public transport integration.

This ambitious infrastructure marks both a physical and strategic turn for Bihar’s capital—supporting healthier urban circulation, boosting economic activity, and setting a precedent for integrated city planning.

✍️ Final Thoughts

Patna’s double-decker flyover embodies modern urban engineering: innovative design, stakeholder coordination, heritage protection, and community impact. With travel times slashed, noise reduced, and traffic complexity resolved, Patna not only meets its current needs—it forecasts a smarter, efficient urban future.