Nitish Setu: Bihar’s 19.76 Km Kachchi Dargah-Bidupur Ganga Bridge to Be Opened by PM Modi on November 21
Bihar has named the six-lane Kachchi Dargah-Bidupur Ganga bridge Nitish Setu. PM Modi will dedicate it on November 21. Here are the facts and the row over the name.
Photo: Mumbaipsytrance / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Patna, 14th November 2026: The Bihar government has named the six-lane Kachchi Dargah-Raghopur-Bidupur bridge over the Ganga “Nitish Setu”, after former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will dedicate it to the nation on November 21, India TV reported. Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary announced the name.
“Nitish Setu” was among the top trends on X in India on Friday.
Nitish Setu at a glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Route | Kachchi Dargah (Patna) to Raghopur and Bidupur (Vaishali) |
| Main bridge length | 9.76 km |
| Total length with approaches | 19.76 km |
| Lanes | Six |
| Cost | About Rs 5,000 crore |
| Built by | Larsen & Toubro and Daewoo Engineering & Construction |
| Construction began | June 2017 |
| Dedication | 21 November 2026, by PM Modi |
What the bridge changes
The bridge links National Highways 31, 122B and 322 and connects Patna with Vaishali district across the Ganga. It is expected to cut the Patna-Vaishali journey to about 20 to 25 minutes, India TV reported. The first phase, from Kachchi Dargah to Raghopur, opened in June 2025.
Once dedicated, it is expected to become India’s longest bridge over a river, ahead of the 9.15 km Bhupen Hazarika Setu over the Lohit in Assam, ETV Bharat reported. The PM’s event is planned at Rajapakar in Vaishali district.
Who built it
The bridge was built by a joint venture of Larsen & Toubro and South Korea’s Daewoo Engineering & Construction for the Bihar State Road Development Corporation. Work began in June 2017. Bridges over the Ganga in Bihar are technically difficult because the river is wide, shifts course and floods every monsoon, which is one reason the project took nearly a decade.
The row over the name
The naming has turned political. RJD leader Bhai Arun Kumar said naming structures after living people “will create a wrong tradition” and called it another insult to Nitish Kumar by the BJP. JD(U) national working president Sanjay Kumar Jha welcomed the decision as an honour for a leader who built many roads and bridges in Bihar.
Nitish Kumar resigned as Chief Minister on April 15 this year and was succeeded by the BJP’s Samrat Choudhary.
Why it is trending beyond Bihar
Large families from Bihar live and work in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, many of whom travel home for Chhath, which runs from November 13 to 16. For those travelling to Vaishali and north Bihar via Patna, the bridge is a big change. See our guide to Chhath Puja 2026 in Pune for special trains to Danapur.
Maharashtra has its own record bridge: the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, Atal Setu, is India’s longest sea bridge. More national news is in our India section.
Frequently asked questions
What is Nitish Setu?
It is the new name of the six-lane Kachchi Dargah-Raghopur-Bidupur bridge over the Ganga, linking Patna and Vaishali in Bihar.
When will Nitish Setu be inaugurated?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will dedicate the bridge to the nation on 21 November 2026.
How long is Nitish Setu?
The main bridge is 9.76 km long; with approach roads the project is 19.76 km.
How much did Nitish Setu cost?
About Rs 5,000 crore, according to reports.
