The Road Construction Minister of Bihar, Dr. Dilip Kumar Jaiswal, has expressed strong unhappiness regarding the slow pace of road development in the state. Despite the Central Government approving a massive budget of ₹33,464 crore for 52 National Highway projects, the work on the ground is moving very slowly. During a recent review meeting in Patna, it was revealed that projects worth only ₹4,645 crore have been finalized so far.
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Why is the Minister angry?
The main reason for the displeasure is the low utilization of funds. Out of the total approved amount, only about 14% has been finalized for implementation. The Minister noted that out of 52 planned projects, work has been decided for only about half a dozen. Dr. Jaiswal warned the officials that negligence at any level will not be tolerated. He has now ordered a weekly progress report for all 52 projects to ensure that the paperwork and approvals do not get stuck.
Which projects are cleared?
While many files are still under process, the department has managed to finalize a few key infrastructure projects. These include important bypass roads and bridges that will help common commuters. Below is the list of projects that are ready to move forward:
- Arwal 4-lane Bypass
- Daudnagar 4-lane Bypass
- Magardahi Ghat High-Level Bridge
- New Gandak Bridge
- NH-322 stretches (including Samastipur to Darbhanga)
- Dhaka Mode to Baljhor road
Meeting in Delhi and New Rules
Reports suggest that Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari is also not pleased with the delays. He has summoned senior Bihar officials to Delhi for a high-level meeting on February 16 and 17. This meeting will focus on projects costing over ₹100 crore. Additionally, officials have been instructed to plan all new bypasses considering the traffic growth for the next 25 years so that people do not face jams in the future.
