Patna: Bihar’s road construction department has issued fresh directives to fast-track stalled national highway projects, with officials asked to resolve delays in land acquisition, forest clearances and tendering.
The review meeting, chaired by Pankaj Kumar Pal, secretary of the Road Construction Department, Bihar, assessed multiple projects being implemented in coordination with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).
Major Projects Under Review
Officials reviewed six national highway projects spanning 218km and costing Rs 8,134 crore, where work has not yet begun due to pending clearances.
In addition, 12 projects covering 360km and valued at Rs 11,222 crore were examined, where work allocation has been delayed despite approvals.
Directives On Delays And Clearances
Pal expressed concern over delays in securing forest clearances and directed officials to maintain close coordination with the environment department.
He also instructed authorities to expedite statutory approvals for projects such as NH-333A and the Bhaurogunj bypass, and to fast-track tendering processes.
Timelines For Key Projects
The secretary set specific deadlines for several projects:
- Work on the Suara–Garhani stretch of the Patna–Ara–Sasaram corridor to begin by May 15
- Construction on the Garhani–Sadisopur section to commence by October after financial closure
- Land acquisition for the Sahebganj–Areraj–Bettiah project to be accelerated before the monsoon
New Contracts And Expansions
Officials said contracts have been awarded for the Mokama–Munger greenfield four-lane road and the Patna Ring Road (Kanhauli–Sherpur) project, with directions issued to begin work after completing land acquisition.
Tenders are also to be invited for the four-laning of Dhaka Mor in Bhagalpur and adjoining stretches towards the Jharkhand border.
Push To Meet Deadlines
Pal directed that delayed projects, including road overbridges in Katihar and Supaul, must be completed by October, warning that negligence would not be tolerated.
He asked the chief engineer to submit a detailed action plan to ensure timely completion of all pending works.
Officials said the review reflects the government’s focus on accelerating infrastructure development and removing bottlenecks in key highway projects across the state.
