Pratyaya Amrit reviews the progress of the North Koel reservoir and Mandai Weir projects.

Patna, February 23, 2026: A high-level review meeting was held on Monday under the chairmanship of Pratyaya Amrit, Chief Secretary of Bihar, to assess the progress of two major irrigation projects of the state—the North Koel Reservoir Project and the Mandai Weir Project.

The Water Resources Department made a detailed presentation on the status and progress of both projects.

Emphasizing the urgency of timely completion in view of the approaching summer and monsoon season, the Chief Secretary directed all concerned agencies to expedite work and ensure strict adherence to timelines.

Pratyaya Amrit highlighted the utility of the North Koel Reservoir Project:

The review revealed that the North Koel Reservoir Project, considered a major boon for the drought-prone districts of Aurangabad and Gaya, has a total canal length of 162 kilometers. Land acquisition work has been completed up to 90 percent in both districts.

The Chief Secretary set a deadline of April 30 for completion of the remaining land acquisition work in Aurangabad and May in Gaya.

Representatives of WAPCOS informed the meeting that 60 percent of the project construction work will be completed by the end of March.

However, the review noted slow progress in Packages 8, 9, 10 and 11, being executed by MSR Construction and Niyati Construction.

Taking a serious view of the delay, Pratyaya Amrit issued strict instructions to the concerned contractors to immediately deploy additional manpower and machinery.

Pratyaya Amrit also directed senior officials at the headquarters level to conduct regular site inspections and ensure close monitoring of the work.

Mandai Weir Project:

The review of the Mandai Weir project, being constructed on the Falgu River, showed satisfactory progress. The project is designed to provide irrigation facilities to multiple blocks—Modanganj (Jehanabad district), Ekangarasrai (Nalanda district), and Dhanarua (Patna district).

The District Magistrate of Jehanabad informed that 73 percent of the physical work has been completed. Pratyaya Amrit added that there are no issues related to labor availability payments, manpower, or machinery at the site.

Compensation to tenant farmers is also being paid smoothly, ensuring the uninterrupted progress of the project.

The meeting was attended by Santosh Mall, Principal Secretary, Water Resources Department; N. Vijayalakshmi, Additional Chief Secretary, Planning and Development Department; Jai Singh, Secretary (resources), Finance Department; and the District Magistrates of Gaya, Aurangabad, and Jehanabad, who joined via video conferencing or in person.

Senior officials from WAPCOS and representatives of the concerned contractor agencies were also present.

Also Read Pratyay Amrit says the land acquisition issues for the Tajpur-Bakhtiyarpur Greenfield bridge project have been resolved.

EOM.