Patna-Purnia Expressway

NHAI's 3A Notification and the Alignment Controversy

The expressway runs 244.96 km on the latest approved alignment, beginning at Mirnagar in Vaishali on NH-22 and ending at Chand Bhatti in Purnia on NH-27, passing through Samastipur, Darbhanga, Saharsa and Madhepura. NHAI issued a formal 3A notification for land acquisition, with land being acquired across more than 250 villages in 29 blocks spanning the six affected districts. Before assuming any plot near the corridor is investable, buyers need to understand exactly where this notification places their land, since acquisition status changes everything about a parcel's near-term value.

A live controversy shows exactly why alignment verification matters. Media reports alleged the alignment was altered in Samastipur district's Sarai Ranjan area to benefit politically connected individuals. NHAI issued an official fact-check in June 2026 stating the alignment between Km 48 and Km 53 in Sarai Ranjan had not changed since its 15 January 2025 approval, and that all land acquisition notifications followed the originally approved route strictly. NHAI's statement specified that the approved alignment affects roughly 92 residential and commercial structures, information that matters directly if your property sits in that stretch. Don't rely on word-of-mouth about alignment shifts. Cross-check your specific khasra against the officially notified alignment, not against claims circulating locally.

Where the Expressway Is Expected to Move Land Value

The expressway's terminal connections matter as much as its length. It joins the Patna Ring Road at Dighwara, crosses the Amas-Darbhanga road in Vaishali, and reaches Chandbhatti village on the Purnia-Kishanganj NH-27. A parallel four-lane link from Meernagar in Vaishali to Dighwara in Saran is also planned, and a six-lane bridge across the Ganga connecting Dighwara to Sherpur is already under construction, which will tie the corridor into Bihta Airport access.

Industry commentary suggests land prices within a 10-20 km radius of the expressway could rise substantially, with some estimates citing as much as tenfold appreciation given that the alignment passes through largely undeveloped land. That kind of figure should be treated as a directional signal, not a guarantee: the districts most exposed, Samastipur, Darbhanga, Saharsa and Madhepura, are also exactly where active land acquisition and compensation disputes are unfolding right now. A khasra inside the acquisition corridor earns compensation under Section 26(3) revaluation rules, not open-market appreciation. A khasra just outside it, in the same district, is the one positioned to capture the appreciation story once the road is functional.