Pursuance to the order dated 19.12.2025, supplementary counter affidavit has been filed on behalf of respondent nos.5, 11 and 12 (NHAI), from which it reveals as follows:

Section 3G award by the Competent Authority for the said portion has been prepared and has been sanctioned and deposited by the answering respondent NHAI.

6. That it is submitted that the works in Madanpur Bypass was stopped by landowners for enhancement in compensation affecting 2.895 km length. Physical possession of the same has been handed over to the contractor to carry out the work from period 11.12.2025 to 13.12.2025.

7. That it is also pertinent to mention that the status of land acquisition and disbursement in the project stretch district-wise for Pkg-1 are tabulated below.

Patna High Court CWJC No.13140 of 2021(25) dt.13-02-2026 3/8 District: Aurangabad (Pkg-I) Status of Land Acquisition Present Status/Issues

1. Land to be Acquired-32.62 Ha. in 10 mouzas. 1. Total disbursement till date 145.14 Cr out of

2. 3G approved-20.543 Ha, balance is Govt. 150.42 Cr deposited by NHAI Disbursement Land. of balance amount is under progress through

3. 3G award amount Rs. 150.42 Cr BhoomiRashi Portal.

4. Amount deposited -Rs. 145.14 Cr. By NHAI District: Gaya (Pkg-I) Status of Land Acquisition Present Status/Issues Time Remarks Frame

1. Land to be Acquired- 53.69 1. Total disbursement till date -227.00 March Disburseme Ha including 12.74 Ha Cr (Pkg-I) out of 227.66 Cr deposited 206 nt needs to Govt. land in 35 mouzas. by NHAI. be expedited

2. Govt land stands transferred by CALA.

3. 3G approved-39.42 Ha. Pvt Disbursement of balance amount is land. under progress through BhoomiRashi

4. 3G award amount- Rs. 263.36 Portal. Cr

5. Amount deposited -Rs. 227.66 2. Demolition of about 320 Nos.

Cr. structures is in progress.

8. That it is submitted that in Pkg-1 work has been stopped at some locations, a joint Memorandum of land not available is prepared by Contractor & Authority Engineer. At present, 4.10 Km. of length is affected at various locations.

A copy of joint Memorandum of hindrance prepared by Contractor & Authority Engineer is annexed here in and marked as Annexure-R1.

PACKAGE-II (Ch Km. 209+827 to Ch Km. 249+525)

9. That the status of work of Pkg-II is tabulated below for reference.

S. Project Length Award Agency Date of Schedule Likely Physical No. Name (Km) Cost Name Award project completi progress Complet on date ion Date

1. Pkg-2 39.698 552.56 M/s VRC 27.12.2021 27.03.20 28.02.20 92.6% cr. Constructio 24 26 n India Pvt. (extende Lid. d period)

10. That the status of land acquisition and disbursement in the project stretch is tabulated below:

11. That it is submitted that due to pending approval for tree felling permission from Hazaribagh Forest Division, works in 0.18 Km in approaches (Jharkhand side) of Major Bridge at Km. 249+310 (Bihar/Jharkhand Border) is affected.

12. That it is submitted that works in 0.300 km in Service Road is affected in village- Surajmandal due to demand of enhancement in compensation.

2. Learned Senior Counsel appearing for the NHAI, referring to paragraph no.8, submits that there are certain hindrances in some part of the project, which have been enumerated in Annexure-R/1 and the District Administration is required to take care of the same and remove such hindrances.

Similarly, referring to paragraph no.11, it is submitted that the issue is also to be resolved by the State Government. Learned counsel for the State has assured this Court that necessary instruction shall be issued to the District Administration to do the needful, so that there would not be no hindrances in the completion of the project at the earliest. Patna High Court CWJC No.13140 of 2021(25) dt.13-02-2026 5/8

3. It is stated that the online Supplementary Counter Affidavit of respondent nos.5, 11 & 12 (NHAI) has been filed, and hard copy placed before us is taken on record.

4. Learned counsel for the State has filed the counter affidavit on behalf of the Collector, Aurangabad, which was sworn by Shri Manjesh Kumar, Circle Officer, Barun, wherein in paragraph no.7, 8 and 9, it is stated as follows:

5. Since from the affidavit filed by the NHAI, it appears that the physical progress of package-1 is only 16.21, learned Senior Counsel has assured this Court that the project shall be expedited. So far as package no.2 is concerned, the Patna High Court CWJC No.13140 of 2021(25) dt.13-02-2026 7/8 physical progress is shown to be 92.6%. It is expected that, after the State removes the hindrances as pointed out in paragraph no.11 of the counter affidavit filed by the NHAI, the plans would be completed.

6. The supplementary counter affidavit has been filed on behalf of respondent no.15, (Contractor M/s VRC Constructions (India) Pvt. Ltd.) dated 10.02.2026 wherein in paragraph-11, it is stated as follows:

7. In paragraph no.4 of the counter affidavit, it is stated as follows:

8. It is expected that the State, as also the NHAI authorities, shall look into this issue and sort out the same, and apprise this Court on the next date.

9. List this matter on 20.03.2026.

(Sangam Kumar Sahoo, CJ) ( Alok Kumar Sinha, J) Prakash Narayan U