Thanks to Bihar's not so attractive image, not a single private agency has shown any interest in taking up the construction work of the ambitious national highway in the state till date.

Official sources in Patna said no private agency had come forward to bid for the four-lane national highway project of the 890 km stretch in the state.

Private bidders had strong reservation in undertaking work in Bihar as was evident from the fact that no one had come forward despite the National Highway Development Authority floating tenders twice this year, officials said.

"The construction companies simply fear the bad law and order in the state and are not ready to take any risk even during President's rule," a senior official told rediff.com

Last week, ongoing work on the mega rail projects on river Ganga, near Patna, was also hit by  criminals.Criminals looted construction materials worth several lakhs of rupees. An official said  this project was also facing threat.

Even Governor Buta Singh had admitted recently that the ambitious project had received a set back. Singh said that in the absence of bidders, the project work had been delayed and was yet to start. Taking this into consideration, the government had now decided to assign the work to the state run Bridge Development Corporation. 

Early this year, well known leader Oscar Fernandes admitted that the bad law and order situation in Bihar was the main reason for no bidders coming forward to undertake work.

Government officials said top executives of a private construction company had told them that they were afraid of the rampant kidnapping for ransom  threats.