Patna: Bihar Rural Works Minister Ashok Choudhary on Friday unequivocally stated that there is no question of department inviting global tender for construction of rural roads in the state.
“Tender for construction of rural roads is carried out on the basis of national bidding in which local people are given priority in award of the tender. There is no question of inviting global tender by the department,” Choudhary told reporters here at a press conference held at IPRD’s conference hall.
“Normally in global tender, bidders from different foreign countries like China, Russia, France etc take part in the tendering process…. The department makes it amply clear that it does not invite any global tender for construction of rural roads,” he said while adding that opposition parties are unnecessarily creating confusion on the issue.
Choudhary said that he wanted to make his stand clear on opposition’s allegations of inviting global tender for construction of rural roads by the department but he could not put his views inside the House (Assembly) because of ruckus and pandemonium created by the opposition parties and hence “I have to talk through the media to get across to the people on the issue.”
The minister, who was accompanied by Additional Chief Secretary Dipak Kumar Singh and other senior officials, emphasised that out of 1038 block-wise package prepared by the department, locals especially of the same district have been given priority for award of the tender ranging between Rs 5 crore to Rs 55 crore.
Asked how many companies belonging to other states have been awarded contracts, Choudhary said that the number is negligible as two-three companies hailing from Jharkhand while one or two companies from Uttar Pradesh have been awarded contracts.
The department has already adopted the award of contracts on the basis of block-wise package for strengthening and management of rural roads, he said and added that the work allotment in terms of package gets expedited as the contract is awarded within two-three months against the normal time of eight-nine months.
Deptt saves Rs 816 cr in award of block-wise package
The department has been able to save Rs 816.68 crore because of transparent and competitive bidding process, Choudhary said and added that tender amount for 1038 package was Rs 18,636.42 crore but the actual contract was awarded just for Rs 17,819.74 crore, thus saving an amount of Rs 816.68 crore.
Nod given to prepare Block-wise/Sub-Division package
Under rural roads strengthening and management programme, the state government has sanctioned the proposal to construct 14036 number of roads having 24,480 km length in 2024-25 while 4079 number of roads having 6484 km of length has been sanctioned in the current financial year of 2025-26.
Had road-wise tender been floated, the number of tenders would have been much higher which would have taken time in disposing of them, he added.
The department has prepared a “combined model bidding document” as per which bidders have been barred from submitting hard copies to bring transparency, he added.
Rural roads to be maintained for 7 years
In order to maintain the rural roads for 7 years for its better riding quality, 70 to 75 per cent of the amount will be spent in first year while the remaining 25 to 30 per cent will be spent in fourth year for its proper maintenance, the minister said and added that the department has also been able to save money as it would give 12.5 per cent instead of 22 per cent to contractor on account of “profit and over head charges” while 20 per cent will be given instead of 30 per cent for construction of bridge.