NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) will undertake desilting of rivers and other waterbodies in Bihar to improve their water-carrying capacity. The silt, sand, mud and fine sediments recovered from these waterbodies will be used in National Highway projects.
The initiative is part of efforts to address two critical challenges: flood mitigation and the shortage of affordable materials for road construction.
To formalise the partnership for the desilting exercise, the ministry and the Bihar government are set to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Tuesday in the presence of Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary.
With the Ganga as its main river, Bihar has more than a dozen other rivers, including the Gandak, Kosi, Bagmati, Mahananda, Sone and Punpun, besides several other waterbodies. The Kosi, Bagmati, Kamla-Balan and Gandak are among the most troublesome rivers, causing extensive flooding in several districts of the state.
According to a 2022 report by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Bihar has more than 50,000 waterbodies. Madhubani district has the highest number, while Arwal has the lowest.
Floods every year result in losses worth crores of rupees in livestock, crops and other assets across the state.
In September, the Bihar government approved the 'Bihar Water Resources Restoration and Sediment Management Policy, 2026'. The policy was described as a significant step towards maintaining the uninterrupted flow of major rivers and waterbodies, while strengthening flood management measures.
Speaking at the 'Bihar Investor Summit 2026: The Emerging Investment Destination of India' in Patna earlier this month, Gadkari underlined the need for comprehensive water management, river dredging, protective infrastructure and a water grid to make Bihar flood-free.
"On the lines of national highway and power grids, implementing a water grid system and transferring water from one basin to another could help manage excess water flow in the state," Gadkari said.
The minister also emphasised river dredging as a measure to reduce flood risks. He said the Centre was willing to undertake dredging and remove the accumulated silt.
"The silt can be used as material for building highways. If the Bihar government allows for such a policy, I can assure that the flood problem can be solved efficiently at low cost," he said.