A $295 million loan has been approved by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to upgrade and widen about 265 kilometers of state highways in the Indian state of Bihar, increasing safety and connectivity in the transportation system.

The highways will be improved with features that cater to the requirements of the elderly, women, children, and people with disabilities, as well as design that is adaptable to climate change and natural disasters.

Improved road safety and connection are essential for regions like Bihar that are highly dependent on agriculture. Improved infrastructure makes it possible for farmers to access markets and increase their incomes. These encourage access to high-quality medical and educational facilities as well as work outside of farms, according to ADB Senior Transport Specialist for South Asia Kai Wei Yeo. “The project will contribute to improving the lives of the people in Bihar, particularly in the project areas, which are among the poorest in the nation,”

By hiring female workers for construction projects, the program will also promote the engagement of women. Women from the communities in the project regions will receive training in livelihood skills as well as education on road safety, health and hygiene, and abuse and harassment.

Bihar State Road Development Corporation Limited will put policies into place to improve transportation planning, security, and sustainability. These include creating guidelines for gender-inclusive practices in road safety measures, creating research laboratories with training equipment in the Bihar Road Research Institute, conducting studies on congestion management and climate adaptation, and developing a road asset management system that includes information on climate change and disaster risk.

The project will receive $156.6 million from the government.

Since 2008, Bihar has received five loans from ADB totaling $1.63 billion, which have been used to build a new bridge over the Ganga River and upgrade around 1,696 km of state roadways.