PATNA, Jan. 31 -- The road construction department (RCD) is pushing hard to start work on two major national highway projects - Masrakh-Chapra-Chakiya-Bhithamore (NH-227 and 227A) and Arwal-Jehanabad-Bihar Sharif (NH-110) - from the next financial year. Together worth around Rs.13,000 crore, these corridors are considered vital not just for better connectivity but also because they pass through areas of deep religious and spiritual importance. Officials said district magistrates of the concerned districts have been directed to accelerate land acquisition and secure at least 90% of the required land so that the detailed project reports (DPRs) can be sent for Union cabinet approval at the earliest. The 145-km Masrakh-Chakiya-Bhithamore stretch forms part of the Ram Janki Circuit. The route runs through Siwan, Masrakh, Chakiya and Sitamarhi districts before reaching Bhithamore on the India-Nepal border. The state government is particularly keen to expedite this project, with sources indicating that its completion could carry political weight ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. On the other hand, the 89-km Arwal-Jehanabad-Bihar Sharif four-lane corridor will significantly improve access between Nalanda and Patna, and the chief minister's office is closely monitoring land acquisition progress here. Recently, development commissioner Mihir Kumar Singh chaired a detailed review of national highway projects under the 2025-26 annual action plan in the RCD conference room. The meeting covered 52 projects with a combined cost of Rs.33,464 crore, including the Anisabad-AIIMS elevated corridor, Vikramshila Setu, Aurangabad four-lane bypass and Singheshwar bypass. Of these, 36 DPRs are being prepared by the NH wing, 14 by BRPNNL and two by BSRDCL. The development commissioner expressed displeasure over delays in finalising DPRs and directed officials to complete them within the next two months so that sanctions from the Union ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) can follow quickly....