Bihar To Introduce ‘Road Health Policy’, Plans Rewards For Reporting Potholes: Minister

The Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government is preparing to bring major relief to citizens troubled by poor road conditions, Path Construction Minister Dr Dilip Jaiswal said on Sunday. Addressing reporters, the minister announced that the state is working on a unique “Road Health Policy” to ensure better maintenance and monitoring of roads, similar to healthcare for humans.

Dr Jaiswal said the government is also considering a policy under which citizens may be rewarded for reporting potholes. He claimed that once the new road maintenance policy is implemented, no potholes will be visible on Bihar’s roads.

Explaining the plan, the minister said a “road ambulance” system will be introduced, where damaged roads will receive immediate attention just like medical emergencies. The new policy is expected to be introduced in January and implemented after February 15. Under the proposed system, every reported pothole must be repaired within 72 hours.

Helpline numbers for road ambulances will be displayed at key intersections across the state. The minister added that the government is considering a first-of-its-kind scheme offering a reward of up to Rs 5,000 for reporting potholes.

He said the policy would make contractors and engineers more accountable, warning of strict action in cases of negligence. Emphasising transparency, he cited previous action taken against several officials during his tenure in other departments.