Patna: CM Samrat Choudhary on Tuesday asked the road construction department to complete the upcoming six-lane Kachchi Dargah-Bidupur mega bridge across the Ganga between Patna and Vaishali districts by the first week of July.Reviewing projects at Lok Sewak Bhavan, Samrat also asked the department to ensure all district headquarters in Bihar are connected with four-lane roads. Road construction department secretary Pankaj Kumar Pal gave a presentation on ongoing projects and future plans.The chief minister laid special emphasis on the completion of the Kachchi Dargah-Bidupur bridge project, which connects NH-30 near Sabalpur on the outskirts of Patna with NH-103 between Chaksikandar and Gazipur Chowk in Vaishali district.The 9.76-km-long cable bridge project, along with nearly 10 km of approach roads, is being built at a cost of around Rs 5,000 crore. Besides serving as an alternative to Mahatma Gandhi Setu, the bridge will improve connectivity between north and south Bihar and provide strategic access to districts bordering Nepal.Samrat asked officials to speed up the construction of expressways, national highways and state highways without compromising quality. He also stressed strict implementation of the bridge maintenance policy and regular assessment of the strength and condition of existing bridges.Referring to the Vikramshila bridge in Bhagalpur, where part of a slab had recently collapsed into the Ganga, the chief minister asked officials to begin restoration work based on the recommendations of an expert committee. At present, the Border Roads Organisation has installed a Bailey bridge between two pillars.Samrat said Bihar now has an extensive network of roads and bridges enabling access to Patna within five hours from many parts of the state. He stressed the need to improve connectivity to tourist destinations, cultural sites, industrial corridors, agricultural hubs and traditional bazaars to boost economic activity.In a separate review meeting, the CM directed the public health and engineering department to install hand pumps in needy areas by June 30 and increase water supply duration under the Har Ghar Nal Jal scheme by one hour in both morning and evening shifts. He also asked officials to ensure prompt redressal of public complaints.Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Bakrid wishes, messages and eid 2026