- By Kamakshi Bishnoi
- Tue, 27 Jan 2026 02:54 PM (IST)
- Source:Jagran News Network
The Bihar government is set to roll out a new road maintenance policy under which 19,327 km of roads across the state will be maintained for the next seven years at an estimated cost of Rs 21,000 crore. A proposal related to the policy has been submitted to the government’s Public Finance Committee and, once approved, will be placed before the Cabinet for final clearance.
Officials said the process of selecting agencies for road maintenance is expected to begin soon after the start of the new financial year. The draft of the new policy has been designed to address shortcomings of the existing system and ensure quicker and more efficient road repairs.
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Under the new framework, companies will be required to repair potholes without waiting for administrative approval, a provision aimed at reducing delays. Faster response time has been identified as a key feature of the policy.
The state has divided road maintenance work into 100 packages, which will be tendered division-wise. The tendering process will begin after Cabinet approval. This will be the third road maintenance policy introduced by the state government.
A major highlight of the new policy is the use of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning technologies. A command and control centre will be set up at the headquarters for real-time monitoring of road conditions. AI- and ML-enabled vehicles will patrol the road network, and images captured during inspections will be transmitted to the control centre.
In addition to roads, the selected maintenance companies will also be responsible for maintaining bridges up to six metres in length on state highways. For bridges longer than six metres, the maintenance of approach roads will be covered under the policy.
The move aligns with the Nitish Kumar government’s focus on strengthening road infrastructure across Bihar, with several districts expected to benefit from improved and timely maintenance.