Budget of Rs 106 crore for roads in Himachal Pradesh, to be constructed under central scheme Pradhanmantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), has no takers, due to the stringent conditions laid by the Central Government.
The Central Government has laid a mandatory condition that whoever takes up the construction work of the roads has to upgrade it for next five years. This condition has been dissuading the contractors to take up the construction work despite several Government initiatives. In Himachal Pradesh, roads in far flung or hard areas are facing the brunt of this. A question in this regard was raised in Himachal Pradesh Assembly during the Zero Hour by Himachal lokhit Party (HlP) MlA Maheshwar Singh.
Replying to the question, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh admitted that normally contractors are taking upgradation work of the roads through tenders but very few takers are coming up for upgradation work in hard areas or far flung areas of the State.
“Since 2010-11, Rs 106.95 crore work to be sanctioned under PMGSY is still pending and no work has been allotted,” said the Chief Minister. He elaborated that according to PMGSY guidelines single tender is not allotted in first call and it is only in second call and thereafter, tenders could be allotted.
The Chief Minister said that if the scheme is sanctioned by the World Bank, then the single tender could be allotted even in first call provided the quotations are rational and responsive. leader of opposition Prem Kumar Dhumal said that if work is being hampered due to the stringent conditions, then like World Bank sponsored scheme, single tender should be allotted.
Virbhadra Singh said that he has taken the matter with the Central Government and has even written a letter requesting them to relax the mandatory condition of five years and make it two or three years. “It is difficult to maintain the roads for five years despite good work, as weather in Himachal Pradesh is very extreme and cases of landslides are a regular phenomenon. We will be taking up the matter with Central Government once again, so that road construction work in hard areas could resume,” said the Chief Minister.