Bihar to Name Ganga Bridge After Nitish Kumar

Joining the trend of naming public infrastructure after living political leaders, the Bihar government on Friday decided to name the newly constructed six-lane Kachchi Dargah-Raghopur-Bidupur bridge across the Ganga after former chief minister Nitish Kumar.

Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary announced that the bridge would be named ‘Nitish Setu’ in honour of his predecessor. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after whom the Ahmedabad cricket stadium is named, will inaugurate the bridge on November 21.

During his visit, Modi will also launch several welfare and development projects at Rajapakar in Vaishali district, Choudhary said.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Bihar on November 21. On the occasion, he will dedicate the six-lane Kachchi Dargah-Raghopur-Bidupur bridge, named 'Nitish Setu' by the state government, to the nation," Choudhary posted on X.

JD(U) national working president Sanjay Jha welcomed the decision, describing it as a matter of pride for Bihar.

"Naming the bridge 'Nitish Setu' after the leader who united a fragmented Bihar and gave the state a new direction and momentum of development by expanding its network of roads and bridges is a matter of pride and honour for the entire state," he posted on X.

Describing Kumar as the "architect of modern Bihar", Jha said the decision continued the tradition of naming infrastructure after leaders such as Jayaprakash Narayan and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, after whom JP Setu and Atal Path were named.

He said the decision reflected the affection, respect and gratitude of Bihar's people towards Kumar. Jha also thanked Modi for agreeing to inaugurate the bridge.

Union minister and senior JD(U) leader Rajiv Ranjan Singh thanked Choudhary for naming the bridge after Kumar.

"The visionary leadership and sustained efforts of Mr Kumar will always be remembered. The bridge will prove to be a significant milestone in Bihar's development and the expansion of public amenities," he posted on X.

The decision has renewed debate over naming public infrastructure after living political leaders. While supporters consider such recognition a tribute to their contributions, critics argue that it risks blurring the distinction between public achievements and personal political recognition.

Traditionally, such honours have largely been reserved for deceased leaders or those whose public careers have ended.