Bihar CM Nitish Kumar Launches ₹8,716 Crore Initiative to Improve Rural Roads
On Monday, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar officially launched an ambitious Rs 8,716 crore project to monitor and strengthen 6,938 rural roads spanning 12,105 kilometers throughout the state. The inauguration, which was conducted virtually from his official residence, represents a major step in the direction of providing rural Bihar with long-term, safe road connectivity.
CM Nitish, also addressed at the ceremony, claimed that the project would not only close the divide between rural and urban areas but also give the state’s rural economy new life. He urged authorities to finish urgent repairs before the monsoon, saying, “The construction and maintenance of rural roads are not just about infrastructure; they are reshaping the social and economic landscape of Bihar.”
The programme, part of the state’s Rural Road Strengthening and Management initiative under the Chief Minister Rural Road Upgradation Scheme, aims to systematically upgrade and maintain all rural roads that have completed their five-year defect liability period. According to the Rural Works Department, these roads will undergo resurfacing twice over the next seven years to ensure service quality. Any technical faults identified during the period must be resolved promptly, officials added.
A presentation by Rural Works Department Additional Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar Singh outlined the scope of the programme. Singh informed that the state government has approved Rs 21,733 crore for the strengthening of 14,087 roads, covering 24,482 km in the 2024-25 financial year. The initiative will include roads and bridges built under various schemes, including the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and the Chief Minister Rural Bridge Scheme.
CM Nitish also highlighted the long-term goal of enabling travel from any remote village to Patna within four hours, a vision he said would be made possible through the sustained development of rural road networks and strategic widening where needed.
The event saw the release of a short film and a booklet documenting the achievements of the Rural Works Department. Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, along with senior ministers, officials, and engineers, were present at the ceremony.
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