Patna, Nov 24 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar inspected the under-construction headquarters of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) in the Bihta locality of Patna on Sunday.
The Chief Minister reviewed the progress of the project, including administrative, training, and residential facilities being built as part of the SDRF's permanent campus in Dilawarpur, Bihta.
Kumar Ravi, Secretary of the Building Construction Department, provided a detailed briefing using the site plan.
The SDRF was established in 2010 to operate on the model of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). However, due to the absence of training facilities in Bihar, SDRF personnel had to travel to other states for training.
The new headquarters aims to address this gap by providing state-of-the-art training and accommodation facilities locally.
The SDRF facility will comprise an administrative building and an auditorium with a 500-person capacity. A training centre for 290 trainees, rapid disaster team building for 30 soldiers, a national-level swimming pool for flood relief training, residential facilities having family housing for 108 officers and 150 employees, barracks for 330 soldiers, other essential facilities, including mess halls and residences for the commandant and deputy commandant are planned.
Facilities such as the administrative building, quartermaster store, training centre, rapid disaster response team building, barracks, and mess will be completed by January 2025.
Residences for commandants, deputy commandants, and constables are also nearing completion. The remaining infrastructure is expected to be completed by June 2025.
Nitish Kumar emphasised the need to expedite the construction work to ensure timely completion.
He highlighted the significance of the facility, noting, “It would resolve longstanding issues of training and accommodation for SDRF personnel. The infrastructure would provide SDRF personnel with modern facilities to enhance their efficiency and readiness in disaster response efforts.”
Nitish Kumar also reviewed the progress of the Bihta-Danapur elevated road located in Patna.
The elevated road is being constructed to enhance connectivity to Bihta Airport and ease traffic movement in the area.
Officials from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the construction company provided a detailed update on the project through a presentation at the conference hall in Kanhauli.
The road spans a total of 25.081 km and is part of the larger Patna-Buxar four-lane highway project. Four bypasses are being constructed along the route at Neuraganj having a length of 1.20 km, 1.75 km bypass at Panel village, 1.70 km bypass at Kanhauli and 0.60 km bypass at Vishunpura village.
The Chief Minister emphasised the importance of completing the project expeditiously to improve access and support regional development.
