PATNA, Dec. 12 -- After a long delay, work on covering the Anandpuri drain and constructing a road over it is set to begin soon, a move expected to ease commuting from Atal Path to Rajapur Pul for residents of western Patna. The Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (BUIDCO) will implement the project, with tenders already finalised, officials said. The proposed road over the Anandpuri drain, nearly 4 km long, will be a two-lane stretch with separate footpaths. The plan also includes streetlights, service lanes, green buffer zones and garbage collection points. "A road will be constructed over the drain after it is covered, but sufficient measures will be taken to ensure smooth storm-water flow," an official involved in the project said. Officials added that the two-lane road, stretching up to 3 km in two segments, will run from Baba Chowk to the Atal Path culvert, and from near Hanuman Mandir on Kasturba Path to the Rajapur Pul drainage station on Boring Canal Road. The estimated cost of the project is around Rs.100 crore, and it is expected to be completed within two years. The project had been delayed due to technical issues in alignment but received approval after certain modifications, officials said. Meanwhile, BUIDCO officials said work on the Saidpur-Pahadi drain road project is also set to gain momentum. Construction is in advanced stages between Saidpur and Gaighat, while the stretch up to Pahadi via NMCH is taking shape. "It will take another two years for the project to be completed. Work is underway," another BUIDCO official said. The project cost is Rs.260 crore. Patna Divisional Commissioner and BUIDCO Managing Director Animesh Kumar Parashar said that work on the road over Anandpuri drain is expected to pick up pace in the coming months and will be completed within the stipulated timeline. He added that once ready, the project will improve traffic flow and significantly reduce congestion in western Patna localities....