A central quality agency team arrived in Darbhanga on Saturday to investigate the quality of the newly constructed 18-kilometer Benipur-Manigachhi road, built at a cost of Rs 23.92 crore. Team official Jagdish Garg conducted a physical inspection, excavating the road every five kilometers to check its thickness and collect samples for laboratory testing in Delhi.

The road connects Benipur to Manigachhi block headquarters, passing through villages like Nawada, Baingani, Sajhuar, Mainarhika, Bajitpur, Bhandarisam, Makaranda, and Balour. Construction, which began in July 2024, was slated for completion by January 2026, but work remains pending in some sections, including Sajhuar, Bajitpur, and Bhandarisam.

This central investigation follows a state-level inquiry, initiated at the request of Dr. Rammohan Jha, president of Mithila Sangharsh Morcha. Garg stated that the official assessment of the road's quality and standards would only be possible after the Delhi lab results are available. However, RWD Assistant Engineer Sunil Kumar Prasad, present during the inspection, initially described the work as satisfactory.

Suman Kumar Jha, proprietor of the construction agency, claimed the road has been inspected 12 times already. He clarified that certain sections in Bhandarisam, Sajhuar, and Bajitpur markets were previously constructed by REO, and thus the remaining 15.640 kilometers have been completed. The agency has accused the department of mental harassment due to the frequent inspections.