The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and the Government of Bihar have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for scientific desilting of identified rivers and water bodies, with the excavated silt to be utilized in National Highway construction projects in Bihar. The initiative, named 'Nadi Sanjivani', aims to restore water-carrying capacity of rivers, improve drainage, reduce flood risks, and provide sustainable construction material for highway projects.
Under the agreement, 243 lakh cubic metres of suitable silt will be utilized in 16 ongoing National Highway projects, while an estimated 835 lakh cubic metres is proposed for utilization in 27 future projects, subject to technical suitability and approvals. Currently, 39 NHAI projects covering approximately 1,561 km with an estimated investment of ₹58,340 crore are under construction in Bihar, with another 11 projects covering around 1,982 km involving ₹1,85,200 crore investment proposed.
The implementation will follow the Bihar Water Sources Restoration and Silt Management Policy, 2026, with the Road Construction Department acting as the nodal department. Desilting will be undertaken through scientific methods following detailed technical assessments, with extraction permitted only at approved locations and within prescribed technical limits. The suitability of excavated silt will be established through appropriate testing in accordance with MoRTH specifications and IRC codes.
The initiative addresses Bihar's vulnerability to recurring floods from rivers originating in Nepal that carry substantial water and sediment into the state. The National Highway network in Bihar has expanded from 4,615 km in 2014 to approximately 6,500 km currently, with around 29 new bridges over major rivers constructed since 2014 to strengthen regional connectivity.