By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: In a significant move to combat corruption within the engineering department, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and Road Construction Minister, Vijay Kumar Sinha, launched the Public Grievance Redressal System on Wednesday, aimed at improving road and bridge maintenance. This new system allows citizens to report defects in roads and bridges directly, increasing transparency and accountability.
Previously, only regional engineers had the ability to upload road issues via a mobile app, which were then addressed using sensors. However, with this new initiative, ordinary citizens can now report such defects themselves. Describing the system as a revolutionary step towards road and bridge maintenance, Deputy CM Sinha explained that any error reported through the Control and Command Centre will be forwarded to the relevant sensor along with a photograph for rectification.
Once a defect is reported, it will be addressed by the system. After the repair is completed, a photograph will be sent again for confirmation. Engineers will inspect the site, and if the work meets the required standards, it will be approved. If not, the contractor will be instructed to carry out the repairs again.
The system enables the public to submit complaints by visiting the Road Construction Department’s Public Grievance OPRMC Road Redressal System website. Complainants will need to upload a geo-tagged photograph of the defect, along with their name, mobile number, district, road name, and type of defect. The report, including the photograph, will be sent to the Junior Engineer, Assistant Engineer, Executive Engineer, and contractor of the concerned district via the Control and Command Centre.
The contractor is responsible for repairing the defect within a set time frame and uploading an updated photograph of the site once the repair is complete. This new system is expected to enhance transparency and ensure error-free maintenance of Bihar’s roads. Currently, around 9,500 kilometres of OPRMC roads are maintained by the Road Construction Department.
Looking ahead, the Deputy CM announced plans to establish a call centre to handle complaints related to roads and bridges. This centre will include call recording facilities, allowing complainants to track the progress of their reported issues.
