The chief minister of Bihar inspected construction work on the Patna–Bettiah expressway in Saran district and directed officials to speed up completion. He stopped at the Bakarpur–Manikpur stretch where work on the first section of the greenfield expressway is under way. The visit was framed as a review of progress and a call to maintain construction momentum to deliver benefits to road users. Senior officials briefed the chief minister on the project and the secretary of the road construction department, Pankaj Kumar Pal, reported that work is advancing rapidly. The first section has been targeted for completion by April 2027 and teams were instructed to adhere to schedules and avoid delays. Officials highlighted logistics, resource allocation and site coordination as priorities to meet the timeline. Officials said the completed corridor would allow travel between Patna and Bettiah in around three hours, substantially cutting current journey times and improving regional accessibility. The route is expected to reduce pressure on existing roads and to improve traffic flow in key stretches. Planners noted that improved connectivity is likely to support economic activity and development across north Bihar, particularly in areas less integrated with major transport corridors. The chief minister emphasised the need for timely completion and instructed officials to maintain momentum while ensuring quality controls and safety standards at sites. Several senior officers were present during the inspection, including the principal secretary Deepak Kumar, Kumar Ravi, the officer on special duty Gopal Singh, senior superintendent of police Vineet Kumar, deputy development commissioner Laxman Tiwari and representatives of the National Highways Authority of India. The Patna–Bettiah expressway is among a series of infrastructure projects being advanced to expand road connectivity in Bihar and to support broader developmental goals in the state.