Patna: Senior officials from the Bihar government and the Indian Railways met to review the progress of railway overbridge projects aimed at reducing traffic congestion and improving road safety across the state.
The meeting brought together Mihir Kumar Singh, development commissioner of the Bihar government, Pankaj Kumar Pal, secretary of the road construction department, and Chhatrasal Singh, general manager of East Central Railway.
Other officials present included senior engineers and administrators from both the railways and the road construction department. Among them were Shailesh Verma, chief chief engineer of East Central Railway; Javed Akhtar, chief bridge engineer; Pramod Kumar, chief engineer (road safety); and Vinod Kumar, divisional railway manager of the Danapur division.
During the meeting, officials reviewed the progress of proposed railway overbridges (ROBs) in the state, discussed coordination between departments and examined ways to speed up implementation of the projects.
Officials said that at the request of the Bihar government, the railways approved proposals last year for the construction of ROBs at 223 locations across the state. These overbridges are planned to be built by the railways using their own resources.
Pramod Kumar, chief engineer for road safety at East Central Railway, said that in coordination with other railway zones, detailed project reports (DPRs) for 83 railway overbridges in Bihar had been approved during the current financial year.
He added that the ministry of railways is expected to approve DPRs for an additional 110 overbridge projects in the next financial year.
Authorities said the construction of these overbridges is expected to significantly reduce traffic congestion at railway crossings and improve travel times, including connectivity to Patna from remote parts of the state.
Officials described the approval of DPRs for 83 overbridges in a single year as a significant development for the state’s infrastructure.
During the meeting, Mihir Kumar Singh emphasised the need for close coordination between departments and directed officials to ensure that the projects are implemented in a timely manner.
