Muzaffarpur is a city in the Muzaffarpur district, situated on the banks of the Burhi Gandak River in the Tirhut division of the Indian state of Bihar. It serves as the administrative headquarters of both the Tirhut division and the Muzaffarpur district. Muzaffarpur is the fourth most populous city in Bihar and is often referred to as the Capital of North Bihar.
The city is renowned for its Shahi lychee, earning it the nickname Lychee Kingdom of India.
A study conducted by the Government of Bihar identified Muzaffarpur, along with Patna, Vaishali, Gaya, and Begusarai, as one of the top five districts in the state in terms of rapid economic growth.
The region's history extends back to ancient Indian epics, including the Ramayana. Historically known as Videha, the area was ruled by King Janak, father of Sita (also known as Vaidehi), who is said to have been born in Sitamarhi, a place considered sacred in Hindu tradition.
The earliest recorded history of the district begins with the Vrijji Republic, a confederation of eight clans dominated by the Licchavis. The powerful kingdom of Magadh formed matrimonial alliances with the Licchavis in 519 BCE. Ajatshatru later invaded Vaishali and established Patliputra (modern Patna).
Ambarati, located 40 km from Muzaffarpur, is believed to be the home of Amrapali, a famed royal dancer of Vaishali. Vaishali was also a center of religious renaissance and is notable as the birthplace of Mahavir, the 24th Jain Tirthankara, a contemporary of Gautama Buddha.
Between the 7th and 11th centuries CE, Muzaffarpur was ruled by various dynasties, including those of Emperor Harsha Vardhan, the Palas, the Chedis, and the Senas. The region came under Muslim control in the early 14th century, with rulers like Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq consolidating power.
The Simraon dynasty in neighboring Champaran once extended its influence over Mithila and Nepal until Tughlaq Shah invaded Tirhut in 1323. Later, the area fell under the control of the Jaunpur Sultanate and then the Delhi Sultanate. The Nawabs of Bengal also exercised control before the region became part of the Mughal Empire.
Following the British victory at the Battle of Buxar in 1764, Muzaffarpur came under British East India Company rule. The district played a significant role in the Indian independence movement. Notably, Khudiram Bose, a young revolutionary, was executed in Muzaffarpur in 1908 for his involvement in a bombing attempt against British officials. A memorial commemorates Bose in the district.
Mahatma Gandhi's visits to Muzaffarpur in 1920 and 1927 further inspired nationalist sentiments. The district's unique location at the cultural crossroads of Hindu and Islamic traditions has contributed to its diverse heritage.
As per 2011 census data, there are total 275,233 Hindus whereas 74,680 Muslims and 1,352 Christians along with other small minorities.
The city's projects were initially sanctioned at ₹1,580 crore, later revised to ₹982 crore. Implementation has faced delays, with deadlines extended to 2024.
On 3 October 2025, the Government of Bihar approved a proposal under which the Smart City companies in Muzaffarpur, Patna, Bhagalpur, and Bihar Sharif would operate as government agencies under the Urban Development and Housing Department (UDHD) of Bihar Government.
| + List of Major Development Projects in Muzaffarpur Source: MyMMC Project Details (official website) ! S.No. ! Project Name ! Description / Remarks | ||
| 1 | Redevelopment of Sikandarpur Stadium | Redevelopment of Sikandarpur Stadium as a multi-purpose sports stadium. |
| 2 | Municipal Shopping Mart at Tilak Maidan | Construction of a municipal shopping mart at Tilak Maidan, Muzaffarpur. |
| 3 | Renovation of Town Hall | Renovation and modernization of the Town Hall in Muzaffarpur. |
| 4 | Construction of ICCC Building | Construction of the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) building in MRDA(D) campus, Muzaffarpur. |
| 5 | Master System Integrator (MSI) | Implementation of the Master System Integrator for the ICCC under Muzaffarpur Smart City Limited (MSCL). |
| 6 | Development of Sewerage System | Development and improvement of the city’s sewerage infrastructure. |
| 7 | Beautification of Sikandarpur Lake Front | Beautification and development of the Sikandarpur Lake Front in Muzaffarpur. |
| 8 | Re-Development of City Park | Redevelopment of City Park, Muzaffarpur, with modern amenities. |
| 9 | Development of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav Park | Creation of a new commemorative park celebrating "Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav" in Muzaffarpur. |
| 10 | Re-Development of Jubba Sahni Park | Redevelopment and landscaping of Jubba Sahni Park, Muzaffarpur. |
| 11 | Re-Development of Indira Park | Upgradation and redevelopment of Indira Park in Muzaffarpur. |
| 12 | Junction Improvement Works | Junction improvement works at six major intersections in Muzaffarpur. |
| 13 | UG Main Storm Water Drainage | Construction of an underground main storm water drainage system. |
| 14 | Redevelopment of MIT Spinal Road | Redevelopment of MIT Spinal Road from Railway Station (Dharamshala Chowk) to Bairiya Chowk via Laxmi Chowk. |
| 15 | Redevelopment of Road (Adarsh Nagar Thana to Harisabha Chowk) | Redevelopment of the road from Adarsh Nagar Thana to Harisabha Chowk via Kalyani Chowk, Muzaffarpur. |
| 16 | Redevelopment of Peripheral Road | Redevelopment of the peripheral road from Railway Station (Dharamshala Chowk) to Akhara Ghat Bridge via Tower Chowk. |
| 17 | Face Lifting of CBD Area | Face lifting and beautification of the Central Business District (CBD) area along major roads in the ABD area of Muzaffarpur Smart City. |
| 18 | Construction of Smart Mini Bus & E-Rickshaw Stops | Construction of 25 smart shelters for mini-buses and e-rickshaws across Muzaffarpur. |
| 19 | RO Water Points | Installation of RO water points at different key junctions in Muzaffarpur. |
| 20 | Integrated Bus Terminal at Bairiya | Construction of an integrated bus terminal at Bairiya, Muzaffarpur. |
| + List of Major Development Projects in Muzaffarpur Source: MyMMC Project Status ! S.No. ! Project Name ! Description / Remarks ! Status ! Completion (%) | ||||
| 1 | Redevelopment of Sikandarpur Stadium | Redevelopment of Sikandarpur Stadium as a multi-purpose sports stadium. | Running | 65% |
| 2 | Beautification of Sikandarpur Lake Front | Beautification and development of the Sikandarpur Lake Front in Muzaffarpur. | Running | 95% |
| 3 | Municipal Shopping Mart at Tilak Maidan | Construction of a municipal shopping mart at Tilak Maidan, Muzaffarpur. | Completed | 100% |
| 4 | Master System Integrator (MSI) for ICCC | Implementation of the Master System Integrator for the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) under Muzaffarpur Smart City Limited (MSCL). | Completed | 100% |
| 5 | Renovation of Town Hall | Renovation and modernization of the Town Hall in Muzaffarpur. | Completed | 100% |
| 6 | Construction of ICCC Building | Construction of the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) building in MRDA(D) campus, Muzaffarpur. | Completed | 100% |
| 7 | Re-Development of City Park | Redevelopment of City Park, Muzaffarpur, with modern amenities. | Completed | 100% |
| 8 | Development of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav Park | Creation of a commemorative park celebrating "Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav" in Muzaffarpur. | Completed | 100% |
| 9 | Re-Development of Jubba Sahni Park | Redevelopment and landscaping of Jubba Sahni Park, Muzaffarpur. | Completed | 100% |
| 10 | Re-Development of Indira Park | Upgradation and redevelopment of Indira Park in Muzaffarpur. | Completed | 100% |
| 11 | Junction Improvement Works | Junction improvement works at six major intersections in Muzaffarpur. | Completed | 100% |
| 12 | Development of Sewerage System | Development and improvement of the city’s sewerage infrastructure. | Running | 96% |
| 13 | UG Main Storm Water Drainage | Construction of an underground main storm water drainage system. | Running | 96% |
| 14 | Redevelopment of MIT Spinal Road | Redevelopment of MIT Spinal Road from Railway Station (Dharamshala Chowk) to Bairiya Chowk via Laxmi Chowk. | Completed | 100% |
| 15 | Redevelopment of Road (Adarsh Nagar Thana to Harisabha Chowk) | Redevelopment of the road from Adarsh Nagar Thana to Harisabha Chowk via Kalyani Chowk, Muzaffarpur. | Completed | 100% |
| 16 | Redevelopment of Peripheral Road | Redevelopment of the peripheral road from Railway Station (Dharamshala Chowk) to Akhara Ghat Bridge via Tower Chowk. | Completed | 100% |
| 17 | Face Lifting of CBD Area | Face lifting and beautification of the Central Business District (CBD) area along major roads in the ABD area of Muzaffarpur Smart City. | Completed | 100% |
| 18 | Construction of Smart Mini Bus & E-Rickshaw Stops | Construction of 25 smart shelters for mini buses and e-rickshaws across Muzaffarpur. | Completed | 100% |
| 19 | RO Water Points | Installation of RO water points at different key junctions in Muzaffarpur. | Running | 0% |
| 20 | Integrated Bus Terminal at Bairiya | Construction of an integrated bus terminal at Bairiya, Muzaffarpur. | Running | 0% |
| 21 | Public Awareness Campaigns and Workshops | Conducting public awareness campaigns and workshops under Muzaffarpur Smart City initiatives. | Completed | 100% |
The station provides administrative, logistic, and welfare facilities for serving and retired defence personnel in North Bihar. It is associated with the Territorial Army, which operates under the Territorial Army framework of the Indian Army.
Per capita GDP (2024) is around US$402, contributing ~5% to Bihar’s GDP. The district consumed 1,807 million units of energy, had 97,500+ registered vehicles, and generated ₹440 crore from stamp duty and registration fees. Muzaffarpur has over six malls, 26 car dealerships, 150 two-wheeler dealerships, and 8,584 POS machines.
There are daily and weekly trains available for New Delhi, Patna, Secunderabad, Kolkata, Varanasi, Ahmedabad, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, Howrah, Amritsar, Pune and other major cities.
which is part of India's East–West highway corridor passes through Muzaffarpur. Muzaffarpur is connected to other parts of India by ,, and Bihar State highways 48 & 4
Asian Highway 42 (AH42) passes through Muzaffarpur, India, as part of the National Highway 27 (NH 27) route within the city
List of Highways
For this project, RITES has already completed the survey, finalized the station and route for the Muzaffarpur metro, and sent it to the Bihar government for approval.
Some Notabale healthcare facilities in the city include:
| + Notable Colleges in Muzaffarpur ! Name !! Type !! Website |
| http://www.lscollege.ac.in/ |
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| Indian freedom movement activist, eminent writer of Hindi literature |
| Former Defence Minister of India |
| Freedom fighter and political activist |
| Indian politician, Member of 18th Lok Sabha, Member of Third Modi ministry |
| Author of Chandrakanta, first modern Hindi novel |
| Founder and ex-CEO of The Viral Fever |
| Indian politician, Member of Bihar Legislative Council |
| Indian politician, Member of Lok Sabha, Vaishali (Lok Sabha constituency) |
| India's first president, worked as a professor of English in Langat Singh College |
| Sports spectator and fan of the Indian Cricket Team |
| Bollywood actress |
| Bollywood playback singer |
| Indian politician and member of parliament from Muzaffarpur Lok Sabha Constituency of Bihar |
| Indian politician, Member of 17th Lok Sabha |
| Famous entrepreneur who founded Shri Krishna Medical College & Hospital (SKMCH), Muzaffarpur |
| Freedom fighter |
| Member Rajya Sabha, 1984–1996 |
| Educator in the US |
| Media executive and former journalist, president of FICCI, The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific, and chairman of Star India and The Walt Disney Company India |
| Hindi poet, writer and critic |
| Revolutionary hanged by the British in 1934 |
| Revolutionary, Indian freedom movement activist, served time at Cellular Jail |
| Revolutionary, Indian freedom movement activist |
| Diplomat and freedom fighter |
| Indian politician and educationalist |
| Former Governor of Goa (2014–2019) |
| Music composer |
Muzaffarpur has been ranked 32nd best "National Clean Air City" under (Category 2 3-10L Population cities) in India.
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