A special orientation and training program was held at Gyan Bhawan in Patna for junior engineers and technical supervisors to further strengthen the quality of bridge construction in Bihar and enhance the technical competence of engineers. Rural Works Department Minister Ashok Chaudhary attended the program as the chief guest.
During the event, Ashok Chaudhary stated that under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the government’s aim is to connect every rural area of the state with a better pool and road network so that the remotest areas of the state can reach the capital, Patna, within 4 hours.
This program is not limited to technical information; it marks a new era where young engineers, with their thinking, dedication, and expertise, will make Bihar self-reliant and progressive. The minister added that the length of roads constructed by the department has now increased to 1,18,706 kilometers. Several important schemes are being implemented for the construction of rural bridges and roads, which have ensured easy access to markets for agricultural products. This is enabling the sale of Bihar’s agricultural products not only at the national but also at the international level.
The program extensively discussed bridge construction design, soil testing, the construction process, load testing, and safety measures. It was explained that although these techniques may be more time-consuming, the bridges built with them are more robust and safer. Information on deep foundation techniques was provided during the event.
It was explained during the training that when the ground surface is relatively weak or there is heavy traffic pressure on the bridge, the use of deep foundations becomes necessary to ensure the stability and long-term strength of the bridge structure. Techniques like pile foundations and well foundations are used in such cases. In deep foundation techniques, pillars (piles) are inserted deep into the ground to transfer the load below. Well foundations are particularly used in rivers or water-filled areas.
Approximately 2,500 bridge construction projects have been successfully completed in the state so far, while 950 bridges are in various stages of progress. The Chief Minister Rural Setu Yojana was restarted after a gap of 9 years. Under this scheme, the construction of 649 new bridges has been approved with a cost of ₹2,977 crore in the financial year 2024-25. To ensure the quality of the bridges, the department has prepared a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), which all engineers have been instructed to adopt.
On this occasion, Additional Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar Singh gave necessary guidelines to the junior engineers regarding the construction of quality bridges. Emphasizing on ensuring quality, the Additional Chief Secretary said that in the coming time, senior engineers, including assistant engineers and superintending engineers, will also be provided advanced training in a phased manner to further strengthen the efficiency and technical capabilities of departmental works.
On this occasion, a large number of engineers and technical staff participated and directly interacted with technical experts. At the inauguration of the program, Engineer-in-Chief cum Special Secretary of the Rural Works Department, Bhagwat Ram, welcomed Minister Ashok Chaudhary by presenting a bouquet. The Engineer-in-Chief, explaining the technical nuances, directed all engineers and technical supervisors involved in bridge construction to provide necessary materials.
On this occasion, Special Secretary of Rural Works Department Ujjwal Kumar Singh, Engineer-in-Chief Nirmal Kumar, Joint Secretary Sanjay Kumar, Joint Secretary Abhay Jha, and other senior officials of the department were present.