The Ganga driveway and India-Nepal border road projects are a priority, road construction minister Nand Kishore Yadav said today, insisting his predecessor Tejashwi Prasad had started only one new project.
Nand Kishore had been in charge of the road construction department when chief minister Nitish Kumar parted ways with the NDA in 2013. After being sworn in again yesterday and handed his old portfolio, the senior BJP leader said projects started in his tenure would be the first on his list.

"My first priority would be the projects I had started - such as the India-Nepal border road and Ganga driveway. I want work on these to gather pace and complete on time," Nand Kishore said today.
The border road is pending since 2012. The 557km road along the India-Nepal border starting from Sitamarhi was supposed to be completed in 2016 but till now only half the work is done.

The road will also pass through West Champaran, East Champaran, Madhubani, Supaul, Araria and Kishanganj districts.
The Ganga Driveway project in Patna was earlier scheduled to be done by 2016 but delay in acquiring land has pushed the deadline to 2018.

"Work in the road construction department should be carried out according to the parameters we have set for Bihar's development," said Nand Kishore. "Of course my focus would also be on the timeline set by the chief minister for people to reach the state capital from any district headquarters within five hours. Every aspect will be taken in consideration."
He will also focus on projects under way in Patna, Nand Kishore promised.

At present, five projects are on in Patna - Ganga driveway, Lohia Path Chakra, Digha-AIIMS elevated-semi elevated road, extension of Mithapur bridge across Patna Junction and the six-lane Kachchi Dargah-Bidupur bridge. Nand Kishore said the major projects currently delayed would be put on a schedule and the first thing he would do on Tuesday when he assumes charge of his department is conduct a review meeting with his officials.

He said all the projects pending, including the Kachchi Dargah-Bidupur bridge, had been started in his previous tenure and the "previous minister" has not started any new work."Only one project which has been added by the previous minister is the Lohia Path Chakra. Except that all the projects were started in my tenure. We will give special focus to the projects on in Patna," said Nand Kishore.

The Lohia Path Chakra (Bailey Road multi-junction interchange project) is the only initiative started in Tejashwi's 20-month tenure but the former minister also ensured that the older, pending projects were carried forward.
In his term, Tejashwi started the restructuring of the Gandhi Setu, the pontoon bridge parallel to Gandhi Setu and started the road section of the Digha-Sonepur rail-cum-road bridge.

Nand Kishore said restructuring of the Gandhi Setu, the lifeline between Patna and south Bihar, would be completed in time, and stressed that action would be taken against any official in the department found involved in any wrongdoing.
"I will not spare anyone and there would be no compromise if anyone is found indulging in wrongdoing in the department. I will personally look into such matters and ensure that I take it to the logical conclusion," said Nand Kishore.

The Telegraph