Patna: Bihar’s highway and expressway projects are set to move forward without bureaucratic delays after the state government resolved longstanding disputes between the Road Construction Department and the Revenue and Land Reforms Department.
Land acquisition, a critical component of road construction, has frequently been delayed due to disagreements over the exchange of progress reports. Officials said this often left projects incomplete for years, slowing infrastructure development across the state.
To address the issue, the government will now appoint project-wise revenue officers, known as Additional District Land Acquisition Officers (ADLOs), for key road projects. These officers will work under the District Land Acquisition Officer (DLO) at the district level and hold powers comparable to the Deputy Collector Land Reforms at the sub-divisional level.
The move aims to ensure accountability. Once nominated, ADLOs will be responsible for coordinating with the central government, the Road Construction Department, and the revenue authorities, and will not be able to evade their responsibilities. For national highways and expressways, officers will be nominated by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
An agreement on the deployment of project-wise ADLOs has reportedly been reached between the two departments, with a formal government order expected soon. Officials hope the initiative will expedite land acquisition and allow timely completion of critical road infrastructure across Bihar.
