By Suchitra Mukherjee

Patna (Bihar) [India], October 15 (ANI): JP Ganga Path, popularly known as Marine Drive, has become a favourite hangout spot for residents of Patna, where people of all age groups can be spotted savouring the famous Litti Chokha and Tarka Dahi Chai.

Speaking with ANI, local shopkeepers said the area has emerged as a symbol of Bihar's rapid urban development. Women visitors also praised the continuous monitoring by the police, saying it makes them feel secure while exploring the area, even at night.

'Patna, Bihar, has now become a smart city. Women are safe here, with police protection being very good, and all safety measures are strictly followed without any issues. We now have metro and water cruise facilities in Patna. Many development projects have taken place here, and the government is doing good work,' Pummy Sinha, one of the locals, told ANI.

Shreya, a journalism student from Patna, said, 'We can safely explore this place. Women's police are continuously monitoring the area, making us feel secure.' Shreya added that while infrastructure development is taking place in Bihar, the youth want more job opportunities. 'Competitive exams should be more frequent, and free and fair exams should take place.

Tea seller Uma Devi praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the NDA government for the development of Marine Drive, where she can 'safely' run her small business.

'Many families, couples, and friends explore this place. They chat, gossip, and enjoy the Marine Drive vibes. My tea stall is also doing well here. I am very safe here. I like Modi ji because it is due to him that we are working here. We want him in the future too.' Many men and women who run small businesses here are thankful to the government because their families depend on these businesses,' she said.

The area also reflects the energy and creativity of Patna's youth. Nishant, a tea shop owner and singer, combines live music performances with his tea business.

'No work is small or big,' he said. 'I never feel ashamed to run this tea shop, and it's the best place to do business where I can fulfil my music passion,' he said. Previously, Nishant ran a music production house, but after incurring losses, he started the tea shop.

On the upcoming Bihar elections, Nishant said, 'The government is doing good work, and especially Modi ji has made India's name famous worldwide in all fields. Any government promises many things, and some are fulfilled, while others are not. We must understand this and take it positively.'

Rakesh Poddar, a local who came to visit Marine Drive, said about the Bihar elections, 'In the last 20 years, Nitish Kumar has done several development works here, and PM Modi has provided several packages to Bihar. So, we are very happy with this development. You need to explore and see the development in Bihar.'

Patna's Marine Drive, officially called the Loknayak Ganga Path, is a scenic four-lane expressway along the Ganga River in Patna, Bihar. It's a popular destination for locals to stroll, enjoy river views, and find food stalls offering local tea and snacks. This development also serves as a crucial infrastructure project, with different phases connecting areas like Digha to other parts of the city, and future plans to link to other major bridges to ease traffic. (ANI)