Patna: After more than a decade-long wait, the new mega double-line rail bridge parallel to the historic Rajendra Pul near Mokama has been opened for traffic operations following final approval from Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) Guru Prakash late Sunday evening.Built at an estimated cost of around Rs 2,400 crore, the bridge is expected to significantly improve rail connectivity between north and south Bihar and provide faster links towards the northeastern region. The bridge falls under the Danapur division of East Central Railway (ECR).ECR chief public relations officer (CPRO) Saraswati Chandra said CRS conducted a mandatory two-day inspection of the newly constructed bridge, examining the track and other safety-related aspects before granting clearance. A successful trial run was conducted on Sunday, paving the way for commissioning.The total project length is about 15.5 km, including a 1.9-km-long stretch over the Ganga. The project includes 17 steel spans, eight small bridges, two road overbridges and three rail-over-rail bridges, constructed using modern engineering technology.The additional line capacity is expected to ease pressure on existing rail infrastructure and enable operation of more passenger and freight trains on the route. The new bridge is also expected to support regional economic activity by facilitating faster movement of goods and strengthening business, trade and industrial operations, CPRO said.Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the project on March 12, 2016.
