Patna: Bihar is set to accelerate the construction of rail overbridges (ROBs), with the Road Construction Department reviewing pending technical issues, railway approvals and project timelines with senior railway officials.
A review meeting chaired by Road Construction Minister Er. Kumar Shailendra was held at the department headquarters on Wednesday. East Central Railway General Manager Dimpy Garg and other senior officials attended the meeting.
The state is currently taking up 58 ROB projects, of which 47 fall under the jurisdiction of East Central Railway. Officials reviewed the progress of these projects and discussed ways to remove bottlenecks affecting construction.
The state has set a target to complete 50 ROBs across Bihar by June 2028. The review focused on ensuring that the projects move forward within the stipulated timelines.
Railway Shifting and Technical Issues Reviewed
A major part of the meeting focused on railway-related works that need to be completed before ROB construction can progress.
Officials from the Bihar State Road Development Corporation Limited (BSRDCL) and Bihar Rajya Pul Nirman Nigam Limited (BRPNNL) placed pending issues before the railway authorities.
The discussions covered:
- Shifting of Signal and Telecommunication infrastructure
- Traction Distribution shifting
- Level crossing diversions
- General Arrangement Drawings (GAD)
- Structural designs and drawings
- Traffic blocks required for construction
These technical and railway-related clearances can directly affect the pace of ROB construction. The minister therefore stressed closer coordination between state agencies and railway authorities.
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Key ROB Projects Also Reviewed
The meeting also examined the status of several ROB projects being handled through BRPNNL.
Projects discussed included ROBs at Jivdhara-Bapudham, Motihari Court-Bapudham, Sugauli-Majhaulia, Darbhanga-Mohammadpur, Thalwara-Laheriasarai and Raghunathpur-Tudiaganj.
Officials reviewed issues related to level-crossing diversions as well as the shifting of Signal and Telecommunication and Traction Distribution systems at these locations.
Progress on several important schemes associated with BSRDCL and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) was also reviewed during the meeting.
Railway officials assured the state government of cooperation in resolving issues related to ROB construction.
Dedicated Design Wing Proposed
To reduce delays in the approval process, railway officials suggested creating a dedicated design wing at BRPNNL and BSRDCL.
The proposed unit would conduct preliminary scrutiny of project designs before they are sent to the Railways. This could help identify design-related issues earlier and reduce back-and-forth during the approval process.
Minister Kumar Shailendra also directed officials to increase manpower involved in structural design work so that the time required to prepare and finalise designs can be reduced.
The focus is particularly important for projects where railway approvals and technical drawings are prerequisites for moving to the next stage of construction.
Focus on Safety, Coordination and Timely Completion
The minister directed state agencies to speed up ROB works while keeping public convenience and safety at the centre of implementation.
He asked officials from the state and Railways to work in close coordination and resolve pending issues within defined timelines. He also stressed that all projects should be completed within their scheduled deadlines.
For commuters, ROBs can help replace level crossings at busy railway-road intersections and improve the movement of road traffic while reducing conflicts between road and rail traffic.
The meeting was attended by the department’s Special Secretary, Chief General Manager of BSRDCL, NHAI regional officials, BRPNNL Managing Director and other senior officers.
With 58 ROBs under construction and 50 targeted for completion by June 2028, Bihar’s latest review puts the emphasis on clearing railway-related bottlenecks, strengthening design capacity and improving coordination between agencies.
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