Patna: Cracks and structural collapses have emerged along a one-kilometre stretch of the newly built Bakhtiyarpur-Mokama four-lane road, just months after it was inaugurated by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The damaged section lies near Rani Sarai in Bakhtiyarpur, an area that falls within the CM’s own home constituency.
Thick cracks and potholes have appeared in the side slope of the road, raising concerns about the quality of construction and safety of daily commuters. In some spots, locals claim the slope is so weak that even a motorcycle can cause it to give way.
One of the four lanes is still under construction, but portions already completed are showing signs of early decay. Local leaders have attributed the damage to alleged corruption by the contractor, CNC company.
“This reflects deep-rooted corruption. The side slope has collapsed, cracks have appeared, and yet the company continues to ignore complaints,” said Shashi Bhushan Kumar, the deputy mukhiya of the area. He added that the affected stretch has already been reported to the company, but no remedial action has been taken so far.
Kumar further accused the firm of abandoning its promise to build a four-lane road connecting nearby villages such as Chanda and Mahmadpur. As a result, thousands of residents across 10 villages are struggling with unsafe and incomplete road conditions.
Vineet Yadav, a resident of Rani Sarai, noted that 8 to 10 accidents have occurred in recent weeks due to the one-way functioning of the four-lane road. “This is the CM’s own area. If this is happening here, what can people in other districts expect?” he said, demanding an immediate government probe.
Former Bakhtiyarpur MLA and BJP leader Ranvijay Singh, also known as Lallu Mukhiya, sharply criticised the authorities. “The engineers and contractors responsible will not be spared. Their licences will be cancelled and they will go to jail,” he said. While praising the NDA government for reducing travel time between Bihar and Patna to just three hours, Singh added that “any shortcomings will be dealt with strictly.”
Attempts to seek clarification from road construction officials were unsuccessful. A worker at the site, identified as Rajiv, said that the Site General Manager was on leave and refused to share any contact information for senior engineers.
