By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: The Nitish government in Bihar is undertaking an ambitious initiative to improve over 118,000 kilometres of rural roads in a bid to attract rural voters ahead of the 2025 elections. The Chief Minister recently announced the launch of the Mukhyamantri Gram Setu Yojana, under which 1,000 new bridges are to be constructed annually, as stated by Rural Works Department Minister Ashok Chaudhary.
This move comes in response to widespread complaints regarding the poor condition of rural roads during the Chief Minister’s visits last year and in the aftermath of the previous election, where instances of vote boycotts were reported in several areas.
Key Initiatives for Rural Roads
To address voter concerns, the government has rolled out several strategies to overhaul rural road infrastructure:
- Pothole-Free Roads by June: A target has been set to make all rural roads pothole-free by June 2025.
- New Road Construction: Plans include constructing 26,000 kilometres of rural roads at an estimated cost of ₹21,000 crores.
- Bridge Construction: Under the Mukhyamantri Gram Setu Yojana, 1,000 new bridges will be built annually to ease rural traffic.
- Widening and Strengthening Roads: Rural roads will be widened to 16 feet and their thickness increased from 11 inches to 19 inches to enhance durability.
- Seven-Year Maintenance: Roads will now be maintained for seven years, ensuring long-term usability.
Challenges in Implementation
Minister Ashok Chaudhary acknowledged that 65,000 kilometres of rural roads are already under maintenance contracts, but the condition of over 50,000 kilometres remains poor. Rural Works Department Principal Secretary Deepak Kumar Singh added that roads left without maintenance after March 31 each year will now be covered under the new scheme, ensuring continuous upkeep.
Former General Secretary of BESA, Engineer Sunil Kumar Chaudhary, emphasised that poor road design, inadequate quality control, and a shortage of engineers remain major issues. He stressed the importance of recruiting more engineers for supervision and holding contractors accountable for substandard work.
Political Significance
According to political expert Priya Ranjan Bharti, more than 80% of Bihar’s population resides in rural areas, and discontent over poor rural infrastructure has been growing. While Nitish Kumar’s government has focused on state highways and large bridges, rural roads have not received equivalent attention.
“The decision to revamp rural roads is aimed at addressing voter resentment in rural areas before the upcoming elections. However, it remains to be seen how effectively these plans are implemented, given the scale of the challenge,” said Bharti.
Monitoring and Innovation
To ensure better execution, the Rural Works Department is packaging road construction and repair projects at the block level, enabling focused monitoring. Plans are in place to make 4,000 kilometres of rural roads pothole-free every month, with a significant budget allocation for the 2025-26 financial year.
While the government’s policies are innovative, experts stress that their success depends on effective monitoring and enforcement. An app has also been launched to streamline these efforts, but it must be used diligently to avoid public dissatisfaction.
The Nitish government’s road revamp initiative is a clear attempt to win rural goodwill. Whether it will translate into electoral gains remains to be seen.
