Patna: The Bihar government is preparing to introduce a new road maintenance policy that aims to tackle one of the state’s most common problems: potholes. Under the proposed scheme, any citizen who reports a pothole on a road will be given a reward of Rs 5,000. The policy, announced by road construction minister Dilip Jaiswal, is expected to come into force after February 15, once it is formally introduced later this month.
According to the minister, complaints about damaged roads and potholes have been pouring in from across Bihar. To deal with this, the government plans to repair reported potholes within 72 hours. Special “road ambulances” will be deployed throughout the state to respond quickly to complaints. Their contact numbers will be displayed at road crossings and busy intersections so that people can easily report problems while travelling.
Jaiswal said the policy is designed not only to fix roads faster but also to ensure accountability among contractors and government engineers. He claimed this would be the first scheme of its kind in the country, where citizens are rewarded for reporting poor road conditions. The fear of strict action, he said, would keep officials alert and prevent negligence. As an example, he pointed out that the executive engineer of Sheohar district and two other officials were recently suspended over lapses.
The minister also recalled that during his time as land revenue minister, action had been taken against 136 officials, suggesting that the government would not hesitate to act again if standards were not met. Alongside the pothole policy, he said discussions were underway to create employment opportunities for labourers in the coming days. Looking ahead, Jaiswal added that Bihar plans to build five new expressways, presenting the new policy as part of a wider effort to improve road infrastructure and make travel safer for everyone.
