The Chief Minister's Office of Bihar confirmed on Wednesday, 15 July 2026 that construction of an 83-kilometre Ganga Marine Drive between Munger and Bhagalpur has commenced, and that a ropeway connecting Kahalgaon to the revered Bateshwar Dham temple on the Ganga riverbank will also be built to boost tourism in eastern Bihar.

The CMO posted in Hindi: 'मुंगेर से भागलपुर तक 83 किलोमीटर लंबी गंगा मरीन ड्राइव के निर्माण का कार्य प्रारंभ हो चुका है' ('Construction work of the 83-kilometre-long Ganga Marine Drive from Munger to Bhagalpur has already begun'), adding that the ropeway to Bateshwar Dham would 'give new momentum to tourism' in the region.

Context

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar made the announcements in a reply to a query from an X user, underscoring the state government's intent to develop the Munger–Bhagalpur corridor as a combined connectivity and pilgrimage tourism hub. The Ganga Marine Drive is conceived as a riverfront road corridor running along the southern bank of the Ganga across 83 km, linking two of eastern Bihar's most significant urban centres. The planned Kahalgaon–Bateshwar Dham ropeway would provide aerial access to an ancient Shiva temple complex that draws large numbers of pilgrims year-round.

Policy Backdrop

The Ganga Marine Drive follows the model of the Ganga Path riverfront promenade developed in Patna during the 2010s — Bihar's first major urban riverfront infrastructure initiative under Nitish Kumar. The state has since pursued successive riverfront road and aerial-connectivity projects to link religious sites with improved surface transport along the Ganga, a pattern that mirrors similar efforts across the Gangetic plains. These projects broadly align with central frameworks for river-basin development, including the Namami Gange programme, and could potentially integrate with the central government's PRASHAD scheme for pilgrimage infrastructure.

Stakeholders and Impact

Tourists, pilgrims, and local businesses across the Bhagalpur–Munger belt stand to benefit most directly. Bhagalpur, already known for its silk industry and riverine religious sites, and Munger, a historic district with strategic road and rail links, would both gain enhanced riverfront access. The Bateshwar Dham complex near Kahalgaon — home to a major NTPC thermal plant — is a well-established pilgrimage centre whose footfall is expected to rise significantly once aerial connectivity is in place.

What's Next

The tendering and land-acquisition process for the Kahalgaon–Bateshwar Dham ropeway segment will be closely watched as an indicator of project momentum. A formal funding structure and completion timeline for both the Marine Drive and the ropeway are yet to be publicly announced. Whether the state government formally applies for central support under PRASHAD or other tourism-infrastructure schemes could determine the pace of execution.