Patna, July 25, 2025: In a significant push to strengthen rural connectivity ahead of the upcoming elections, the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government has approved the construction of 14,036 rural paths with a total length of 24,480 km proposed in the financial year 2024-25, with an additional 4,079 path (6,484 km) approved so far in 2025-26.
Rural Works Ashok Choudhary, addressing the media on Friday, said that the department has adopted a transparent and efficient system that has not only improved the quality of road construction but also saved the government around Rs. 800 crore.
Nitish Kumar government’s focus on local contractors, maintenance policy:
Clarifying concerns about tenders, Minister Choudhary stated that no global tenders were issued; instead, national bidding was used to ensure small contractors from Bihar and across the country could participate.
“Contrary to misinformation, we have created small packages to ensure block and subdivision-level contractors benefit,” he said.
The government has also implemented an effective road maintenance policy, linking 18,000 roads under regular maintenance contracts.
In the last two months alone, work on 464 maintenance packages has been allotted, ensuring seven years of upkeep for these roads.
After a nine-year hiatus, the Chief Minister Rural Bridge Scheme has been restarted under the direction of Nitish Kumar, enabling the rapid construction of small and large bridges and culverts in rural areas to improve connectivity and road quality.
The government’s priority remains connecting every hamlet with a population of over 100 with paved roads.
So far, roads covering 6,538 km have been approved, connecting 5,003 hamlets, with action underway to approve an additional 1,200 km.
Choudhary warned that some contractors were attempting to secure tenders using false documents or the names of blacklisted companies.
“Such cases are being identified and departmental action will follow, including FIRs,” he said, adding that local contractors are receiving adequate opportunities, with only a few entries from outside states like Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh.
Preparedness of the Nitish Kumar government before elections:
In view of the upcoming elections, the Nitish Kumar government aims to ensure that work on all approved roads begins before the polls to prevent disruptions.
“The department is fully prepared to continue rural development work even during the election period,” Choudhary said.
Under Chief Minister Kumar’s leadership, Bihar is positioning itself as a model state for rural connectivity, focusing not just on building roads but ensuring their quality and long-term maintenance while aiming to create a robust infrastructure base for a new Bihar.
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EOM.