Will Bihar’s infrastructure push overcome its execution and quality challenges?

.

As Bihar heads into a high-stakes assembly election, the state’s infrastructure has become a defining political battleground. From freshly inaugurated expressways and rail corridors to recurring bridge collapses and patchy urban amenities, Bihar’s development story remains a mix of progress and persistent gaps.

The state will go to polls in two phases on November 6 and 11. The counting of votes will be take place on November 14.

The ruling NDA and the opposition Mahagathbandhan (INDIA bloc) — have unveiled expansive manifestos centred around development, jobs, and welfare. The NDA has promised to create 1 crore jobs through skill hubs and industrial expansion, launch seven new expressways, modernise rail and airport infrastructure, and invest Rs 1 lakh crore in agriculture and allied sectors.

The Mahagathbandhan, led by the RJD and Congress, has focused on direct welfare guarantees apart from promises such as building new expressways, IT parks, special economic zones (SEZ), and education-cities.

Projects readied ahead of elections

Over the past five years, Bihar has witnessed an acceleration in infrastructure development, with several big-ticket projects reshaping the state’s connectivity and power landscape.

Aunta–Simaria six-lane bridge: Also known as the Barauni–Mokama Ganga bridge, the flagship project built at a cost of around Rs 1,870 crore connects key industrial corridors across north and south Bihar. Inaugurated in August 2025, the six-lane bridge has cut down travel time between Begusarai and Patna by over two hours.

Kacchi Dargah–Bidupur bridge: The 9.76 km stretch across the Ganga and one of India's longest river bridges saw its first phase opened in June 2025, with a total estimated cost of at least Rs 4,000 crore. It is a six-lane greenfield bridge project spanning the Ganga River, connecting Kacchi Dargah near Patna to Bidupur in Vaishali district of Bihar.

Railways: The railways sector, too, has seen record investment. Under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, two station redevelopments were formally inaugurated - Pirpainti railway station (Bhagalpur district) and Thawe Junction (Gopalganj district) in May 2025, improving passenger amenities and station infrastructure. Besides, the Jaynagar–Patna Namo Bharat Rapid Rail service (266 km) was also inaugurated in April 2025, connecting Jaynagar and Patna, offering a week-weekly semi-high speed service.

Expansion of Patna airport: At the Jayprakash Narayan International Airport (Patna), a new terminal was inaugurated this year with capacity to handle 10 million passengers annually.

Key infra promises

Seven new expressways: The NDA has pledged to build seven major expressways across Bihar, strengthening high-speed road connectivity among key districts and linking urban and industrial centres. In March this year, the Union Cabinet approved the Patna–Arrah–Sasaram corridor (NH-119A) that will link Patna, Arrah (in Bhojpur district) and Sasaram (in Rohtas district) — helping reduce travel times along the congested existing state highways. It will also help link the Patna airport and the upcoming Bihta airport.

Four international airports: The NDA government has promised to establish or upgrade four airports (in Patna, Darbhanga, Purnia and Bhagalpur) to international standards, along with expanding air services to additional cities.

Modernisation of rail infrastructure: Under the 'Bihar Gati Shakti' blueprint, the NDA has promised to modernise about 3,600 km of railway tracks, improving rail connectivity and capacity in the state.

Execution and quality challenges remain

Despite the NDA government’s promises, execution bottlenecks and poor-quality control continue to overshadow progress on the ground.

Large projects such as the Kacchi Dargah–Bidupur bridge, portions of which collapsed during construction earlier this year, and delays in the Ganga Pathway extension highlight persistent gaps in design monitoring and contractor accountability. Similar issues have been reported in road and rural connectivity projects, where frequent cost escalations, tender delays and sub-standard materials have led to structural failures or missed deadlines.