Patna: The Bihar government has expressed concern over delays in several large infrastructure projects, with the chief secretary Pratyaya Amrit directing district administrations to step up monitoring and resolve bottlenecks linked to land and environmental clearances.
A high-level review meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary on Wednesday examined the progress of infrastructure schemes costing more than Rs 500 crore, particularly those being implemented under the Ministry of Railways, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the National Highways Authority of India.
Officials from the planning and development department made a detailed presentation on the status of the projects, while senior representatives from the concerned departments and district magistrates attended the meeting.
According to officials, the chief secretary voiced dissatisfaction with the slow pace of some railway projects and instructed district magistrates to carry out regular reviews at their level. He asked them to prioritise land acquisition and the issuance of no-objection certificates, describing these as critical to preventing further delays.
Amrit also called for stronger coordination with the department of environment, forest and climate change to address issues related to forest clearances and other regulatory approvals affecting road and highway projects. Delays on these fronts, he said, were holding back construction work.
Emphasising quality and adherence to timelines, the chief secretary warned that contractors failing to meet targets or deliberately slowing work should face strict action. The government’s stated objective, he said, was to complete these major infrastructure projects within the stipulated timeframe and make them available for public use without further delay.
