Chhapra: Once a key industrial centre in Bihar, the Marhaura area of Saran district has seen decades of decline as major factories shut down, pushing workers and farmers to migrate in search of livelihoods, reports ETV Bharat.
Earlier known as the state’s “Manchester”, Marhaura remained active day and night, with factory chimneys running continuously and thousands of workers employed across shifts. The industries supported the local economy and drew people from other regions for work. Over the last three decades, however, the steady closure of units has emptied the area and weakened its economic base.
Marhaura’s industrial growth dates back to the British period. In 1904, Kanpur Sugar Works Limited was set up by the British, becoming Bihar’s first sugar mill and encouraging sugarcane farming in the region. In 1929, C & E Morton Limited established the Morton Chocolate Factory, which produced chocolates, toffees and biscuits. The same year also saw the start of the Saran Distillery and Saran Engineering Works. These units brought national recognition to Marhaura and made it a major employment centre.
Until the 1990s, products from the Morton Chocolate Factory were widely consumed across the country and supplied to organisations such as the Indian Army and Air India. The sugar mill operated in three shifts, employing a large workforce. Saran Engineering Works manufactured machinery that was exported to countries including Russia and the United Kingdom, while the distillery added to the area’s economic strength. Together, these industries created thousands of direct jobs and many more indirect livelihoods.
From the late 1990s into the early 2000s, labour disputes, weak policy support and management problems led to the shutdown of these units. The Kanpur Sugar Mill closed in 1997 and later fell into disrepair. The Morton factory shut down about 25 years ago and its land was sold to private owners. The distillery and engineering works also ceased operations. Today, only damaged buildings, broken chimneys and signs of metal theft remain. Large dues owed to farmers and workers are still unpaid, and factory land has been encroached upon.
The closure of Marhaura’s factories has remained a political issue for years. Several leaders have promised to revive the sugar mill, but progress has been slow. In recent years, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said closed sugar mills in Bihar would be reopened. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary have also stated that the Marhaura sugar mill and other units would be restarted within a year. In November 2025, the NDA government approved a plan to revive nine closed sugar mills, including Marhaura.
A diesel locomotive factory has emerged as a new industrial presence in Marhaura. Proposed during the tenure of former railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, the project began operations in 2018 as a joint venture between Indian Railways and General Electric, now Wabtec. The plant produces high-capacity diesel engines, some of which are exported to African countries. However, local residents say employment opportunities for the local population have been limited, as many jobs went to workers from outside the area.
Residents say the closure of factories disrupted the lives of farmers and workers, forcing thousands of families to migrate. Those who remain continue to face unemployment and poverty. Theft of metal from abandoned factory structures continues, while people say political promises are often confined to election campaigns. The bustle that once defined Marhaura now exists largely in memory.
Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary’s assurance that action will be taken within a year has renewed some optimism among residents. People believe that if the sugar mill and other units are genuinely revived, Marhaura could once again see economic activity. At the same time, locals stress the need for firm decisions, settlement of land issues and a focus on local jobs. After years of waiting, the town remains hopeful but cautious about the future.
Choudhary has said the state government has decided to reopen several sugar mills and that the process to restart the Marhaura sugar mill would be completed within a year.
