The State Government is unable to connect the rural villages in Naxal-infested districts with proper roads under the Prime Minister’s Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY) even after best efforts, as no contractors are willing to work in the troubled zone.
The Government, according to reports, could not start construction over 200 sanctioned road projects under the PMGSY as no contractor came forward to take up the work following threat from the Maoists operating in the red terror zone in the State.
It was learnt that the districts such as Bijapur, Sukma, Narayanpur, Dantewada and Bastar are worst affected and no contractor is able operate in these districts without a sanction from the outlaws and hence contractors are not willing to take up road construction work in these districts.
Even in some cases it is learnt that the contractors came forward and got the tender for road construction but withdrew, following threats from the rebels leaving the State administration with little option other than to look for alternatives to get the work done.
The Government in a bid to generate interest among the contractors had also relaxed many norms for road construction but to no avail. Each district in the red zone, is considering to set up a 'Special Screening Committee' under the chairmanship of District Collector which will place contract order directly to contractors who will be willing to take up the work.
Meanwhile Principal Secretary, Rural Development Department, M K Raut also shot off a letter to this effect to district collectors in the affected areas to review the current status and take a final decision on the new proposal. Under PMGSY, over 4000 km rural roads have been built in other districts of the State where there is no Maoist influence.