Patna: The Bihar road construction department has conducted a comprehensive review of detailed project reports (DPRs) for national highway projects worth more than Rs 33,000 crore, with officials raising concerns over slow progress on several key schemes.
The review meeting, held at the departmental conference hall and chaired by road construction secretary Pankaj Kumar Pal, examined DPRs for 52 projects with a combined estimated cost of Rs 33,464 crore. Of these, 36 projects are being prepared by the national highways wing, 14 by Bihar Rajya Pul Nirman Nigam Limited (BRPNNL), and two by Bihar State Road Development Corporation Limited (BSRDCL).
Senior officials of the road construction department, project consultants and technical officers attended the meeting, where the status, timelines and quality of the DPRs were discussed in detail.
Among the projects reviewed were the Samastipur bypass (around 9.8 km), aimed at easing congestion in the city; the development of approach roads to the Vikramshila bridge on NH-131B (about 15 km); and the proposed Anisabad–AIIMS elevated corridor in Patna, a seven-kilometre stretch expected to improve access to major healthcare and residential areas.
Other projects included a four-lane bypass for Aurangabad (approximately 9.8 km), the Singheshwar bypass in Madhepura district (11.27 km), and a four-lane bridge over the Kamala river on NH-227, a key link for smoother traffic movement in north Bihar.
During the review, Pal noted that the preparation of DPRs for some projects was not progressing at the desired pace. He instructed consultants and departmental officials to prioritise timely completion without compromising on technical quality.
He also directed that any bottlenecks in DPR preparation — including issues related to alignment, land availability or inter-departmental clearances — should be reported immediately to senior authorities for swift resolution. Future connectivity requirements, he added, must be factored into project designs to avoid repeated modifications at later stages.
“These projects are vital for Bihar’s connectivity, economic development and public convenience,” Pal said, stressing that delays at the planning stage could have long-term implications for execution and costs.
