The road construction department has tightened its belt to repair potholes within three days.

The move is inspired by the successful streamlining of the electricity system, including repair of electrical snags within hours and replacement of burnt transformers within few days.

While addressing the media in Muzaffarpur on Saturday evening, road construction minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh said he has set a deadline to repair roads including potholes, holes and other destructions and damages.

Singh has launched an ambitious plan to repair and maintain roads under his department for a period of five years from its construction under output road asset maintenance contract.

The road construction department has identified 9,008km of roads in the state to cover under output road asset maintenance contract.

The state government has already pumped in Rs 2,500 crore under this plan to maintain the condition of the roads. Engineers of the road construction department have been directed to go through the physical condition of all the 9,008km roads in the state and start the repair work within a fortnight.

The road construction minister said: “The roads of the state would be in smooth conditions once the output road asset maintenance contract is executed effectively. The district magistrates have been given the task of keeping vigilances on the execution of the plan. I have asked the officials to not hesitate in initiating action against the engineers and contractors who will indulge in carelessness and negligence of the better execution of the plan.”

The contractors, who have signed an agreement with the road construction department to maintain roads for a period of five years, would have to face financial jolt if they are found to neglect their duties, Singh added.

District magistrate Anupam Kumar said: “The state government has sanctioned Rs 110 crore to maintain 426km roads of Muzaffarpur. The road construction minister and the department principal secretary, Arun Kumar, have asked the executive engineers of road construction department to sort out the technical difficulties in the better execution of output road asset maintenance contract.”