SANJAY PANDEY Ranchi: Sunil Kumar, Chief Secretary of the Department of Road Construction, highlighted the successful road infrastructure development in Jharkhand over the past four years. He mentioned that under the guidance of the Chief Minister, both the Department of Road Construction and Building Construction have undertaken commendable work throughout the state. Kumar shared this information during a media briefing at the Information and Public Relations Department on Thursday.The Chief Secretary stated that the department has utilized 95% of the allocated budget in the last four years, with 60% of the budget for the financial year 2023-24 already spent. A total of 17,000 kilometers of road construction is planned in the state, with 14,000 kilometers already under progress. Notably, 2,000 kilometers of road are being constructed as part of the National Highway. The state government has successfully completed the construction of 5,200 kilometers of roads, and work is ongoing on an additional 4,600 kilometers.
Kumar reported that 283 projects are currently underway, with 398 major bridges and culverts already completed. During the last four years, 525 projects have received approval, covering a total distance of 6,500 kilometers. Many road projects are being executed through the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The state is witnessing substantial progress in road projects worth 40,000 crores with the assistance of the World Bank, and an expenditure of 2,500 crores for the Bharatmala project.
Highlighting the development in both rural and urban areas, Kumar mentioned that approvals have been granted for three out of ten parts of the Inner Ring Road in Ranchi. The construction of a 194-kilometer-long Outer Ring Road has been completed. Connectivity work on the Ring Road is ongoing, with approval granted for several connecting roads. He also informed about the approval for the construction of a flyover connecting Kantatoli to Sirmatoli and the progress in the construction of the Harmu flyover.
Kumar concluded by emphasizing the construction of various buildings, including medical colleges, hospitals, community centers, critical care blocks, sub-district hospitals, Bokaro Medical College, engineering colleges, polytechnic degree colleges, and infrastructure for tourism, arts, culture, sports, and the youth department. The construction of buildings, both within and outside the state, is progressing well, contributing to the overall development of Jharkhand. The Building Construction Corporation Limited ensures the construction of various department buildings. In the financial year 2022-23, the department spent more than 96% of the 603 crore budget on building construction. As of the current fiscal year, 76% of the budget has been utilized.
The press conference was attended by various officials, including Rajiv Lochan Bakshi, Director of Information and Public Relations Department, and several officers from the Departments of Road Construction and Building Construction
