Bihar's Ambitious Road Projects Plagued by Delays and Soaring Costs

Bihar is grappling with numerous ambitious road projects that have been stalled for years, repeatedly missing deadlines and seeing their costs skyrocket, often doubling or more. Despite the state government's claims of a 'road revolution,' many key infrastructure developments, including projects like the Bakhtiyarpur-Tajpur four-lane road, Patna Sahib-Patna Ghat elevated road, and the Chhapra double-decker flyover, remain incomplete. These projects have become 'white elephants' due to systemic inefficiency, governmental negligence, and issues like inadequate land acquisition planning before project initiation. The delays have resulted in a significant financial burden on taxpayers and ongoing inconvenience for the public, who face traffic jams and poor road conditions. While former and current ministers overseeing road construction are being questioned, and the current minister claims efforts to expedite work and hold officials accountable, the ground reality indicates a continued pattern of missed deadlines, escalating expenditures, and a lack of clear accountability for these crucial infrastructure failures.