Even as thousands of kilometres of rural roads constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY) are getting eroded every year due to poor maintenance across the country causing a huge loss to the national exchequer, States seem to be least interested in ensuring their upkeep.
So far, only three States —Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar — have framed the road maintenance policy with an aim to ensure that the roads remain serviceable throughout its design life, said a senior official from the Union Rural Development Ministry.
He referred to an estimate according to which the resulting loss in value of road assets due to neglect in maintenance is as high as Rs20,000 crore per year, equivalent of 50,000 km of roads being eroded annually.
The official said that the National Rural Roads Development Agency of the Ministry in collaboration with the International labour Organisation (IlO) has already framed the policy for the road agencies in the States to have a clear understanding about expectations for rural road maintenance.
The States were requested to customise the policy as per their own requirement and come up with a Rural Road Maintenance Policy of the State by mid-December 2013.
“But forget about the preparation and implementation of the policy, a majority of the States are yet to even give their comments on the draft policy framed by the IlO. Clearly, the initial investment made in construction of roads is going down the drain.
“We have now asked them to expedite preparation of the policy so that funds can be sanctioned for the maintenance of the rural road network,” the official added.
The flagship PMGSY scheme was launched with huge central investment in the States as part of a poverty reduction strategy and has created a substantial rural infrastructure asset base in the country to improve rural connectivity. But States are not taking efforts to maintain the roads post construction, he said.
So far, about Rs1,00,000 crore has been invested under the PMGSY. “Besides this, several States are making their own investments in accelerating the rural connectivity in far-flung areas,” the official said, stressing the need for upkeep of the roads to prolong their life by reducing the rate of deterioration and safeguarding initial investments in construction and rehabilitation.
It also lowers the cost of operating vehicles on the road by providing a smooth running surface, said the official.
Rural roads act as facilitators to promote and sustain agricultural growth, improve basic health, provide access to schools and economic opportunities, he said and elaborated, “maintenance of rural roads is not simply a financial and economic issue but also a humanitarian priority as it is a strategy for poverty reduction, improving maternal health and reducing infant mortality and ensuring universal primary education among others”.