The state has started an ambitious project which is to construct an underground tunnel that will connect two of the most important cultural establishments in the state, the Bihar Museum and the Patna Museum. The estimated cost of the project is ₹542 crore, which will enhance the ease of access of the visitors between the museums and will facilitate heritage tourism in the state capital, i.e. Patna.
Recently, the construction of the tunnel was initiated by Nitish Kumar, who stated that the project will enable the display of the rich cultural and historical background of Bihar in a more tied and interactive manner. The tunnel will also enable the visitors to move between the two museums without necessarily going through the city traffic, hence the experience will be more convenient and enjoyable.
The underground passage will be around 1.4 to 1.5 kilometres in length, according to officials, and will pass under major roads between the two museum complexes. The tunnel is not only being developed as a transport tunnel but also as a heritage experience for visiting tourists. It is proposed to install art exhibits, historical murals and digital exhibits that showcase the ancient history of the Bihar people and their role in the Indian civilization.
In 2015, the Bihar Museum was inaugurated, containing a large collection of artefacts of the ancient past of Bihar, such as the Mauryan and Gupta eras. Meanwhile, the ancient Patna Museum was created during the British rule in 1917, and it is also used to preserve some rare sculptures, paintings, and other archaeological discoveries in the whole region. The tunnel will enable the tourists to access the two museums in one integrated heritage experience.
The state government also intends to develop other facilities within the surrounding area besides the tunnel project in order to ease the growing number of tourists in the region. These amenities are supposed to have parking lots, solar-powered parking sheds, landscaped parks, and better amenities. The government feels that these developments will complement the general infrastructure of the museum complex.
The officials state that the project will not just enhance connectivity, but also assist in making Patna a great cultural/tourism destination in eastern India. With the connection of the two museums using a new underground linkage, the government believes that it can bring more local and international tourists, who are interested in the rich historical heritage of the state of Bihar.
Upon its opening, the heritage tunnel should be one of the rare attractions in the nation, providing tourists with a combination of the latest infrastructure and an excellent historical narration. It is also perceived that the project is one of the wider initiatives of the Bihar government to enhance cultural preservation and tourism development in the state.
