PATNA, May 4 -- The long-delayed four-lane Patna-Gaya-Dobhi road (national highway-83) will be formally and fully operational this month, said road construction department (RCD) minister Nitin Nabin, after reviewing progress of the road in presence of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) officials.. The road was scheduled for opening in September last year, but delay in construction of the road overbridge near Jehanabad and a few other places near Gaya had deferred the plan. "All five diversions of the 127-km long four-lane national highway, built to bypass two rail over bridges (RoBs) and high tension transmission lines, would be resolved," said Nabin, adding that high tension transmission lines tower on Jehanabad bypass would be shifted soon.. "Currently, two lanes of the RoBs at Gaya and Jehanabad have been operationalised and the rest two lanes would be ready by May. Power transmission lines have been shifted by resorting to an emergency restoration system (ERS) by the BSPTC on request of NHAI, which is executing the project," said the officer. The NHAI had gone for re-tendering of the Patna-Gaya-Dobhi road in 2015 after the previous construction company pulled out citing financial inability. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) had cleared the project at the cost of Rs.5,519 crore. The NHAI had set March 2023 as the final deadline to complete the project, but it lingered on for want of clearance from the Indian railways for building ROBs and shifting of power transmission lines. The road is of vital importance for domestic and international tourists for the famous Gaya Ji Dham and Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya. This road also serves as a convenient road link between Patna, Bihar's capital city, with Jharkhand's capital city of Ranchi. Once the road is complete, road journey from Patna to Dobhi could be a three-hour affair. Currently, it takes more than three hours to reach Gaya from Patna due to work going on at various patches. There will be two toll plazas on the route, one near Jehanabad and another near Dobhi, The Patna high court had also taken serious note of the inordinate delay in construction of Patna-Gaya-Dobhi road and hence began monitoring of all NH works under execution in Bihar. Then chairperson of the NHAI was also summoned by the high court and directed to complete the ongoing projects on priority basis. Regional officer of NHAI, Patna, NL Yeotkar and other senior officers were also present in the meeting. The minister also directed them to expedite work on Amas-Darbhanga expressway, and Auta-Simariya road. "Anas-Darbhanga expressway is a very important project, as it would help rapid industrialisation in seven connecting roads," the RCD minister further said....