Bihar announces major power grid upgrade and new highway toll system

The Bihar government has announced two major infrastructure initiatives aimed at improving utility services and road revenue.

The energy department has prepared a 12,000 crore rupee plan to stabilize the electricity supply for approximately 22.5 million consumers. The project aims to eliminate low voltage and frequent tripping caused by aging infrastructure and increased demand for heavy appliances. Key components include spending 8,465 crore rupees to repair 1.8 million kilometers of poles and cables, 2,262 crore rupees to replace hazardous wires, and 370 crore rupees for 12,000 new high-capacity transformers. The upgrades will be split between the North Bihar Power Distribution Company Limited (6,066 crore rupees) and the South Bihar Power Distribution Company Limited (5,031 crore rupees).

Simultaneously, the state is preparing to implement a toll collection system on 47 bridges and 55 state highways for commercial vehicles. Following a study of the Rajasthan toll model, officials plan to use electronic collection via FASTag to minimize manpower and ensure digital monitoring. The cabinet has approved approximately 30.95 crore rupees for the development of the tolling system, monitoring mechanisms, and fee determination. This move is expected to increase road transport costs for commercial vehicles, potentially impacting passenger fares.