With an aim to ensure quality and transparency, the Centre has decided to go high-tech with monitoring construction of rural roads under its flagship Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) through satellite uplink services.
Under the proposal, which would be executed from April 2014, the Union Rural Development Ministry will dole out funds for purchase of mobile phones for State Quality Monitors (SQMs) to help them capture images of the under-construction roads and forward it on the spot to the Centre’s database through satellite uplink.
The SQMs are independent experts or agencies appointed by the Centre to supervise the quality of roads being constructed under the scheme. A senior official in the Rural Development Ministry said that though the proposal was to be kicked off from November 1 this year itself, it had to be postponed in view of election in some States where the project was to be executed on pilot basis.
“With the view to make inspections under second tier of quality monitoring under the PMGSY more transparent and objective, all SQMs shall mandatorily be required to upload the abstract of inspections and go-referenced photographs through mobile handsets. Although as per the existing system, States do send us the photographs, either they are not clear or not made available in time. The aim of providing them with mobile phones is to expedite the process and point out the defects at the earliest, the official said.
As per rules under the revised PMGSY-II guidelines, in case quality check by SQM or National Quality Monitors reveals ‘unsatisfactory’ work, the State Government has to ensure that the contractor replaces the material or rectifies the workmanship (as the case may be) within the time period stipulated.
In case a completed work is found unsatisfactory, the State Government will be liable to refund the Central share expended on the work. Under the PMGSY-II, States which have received all sanctions for new connectivity and upgradation under PMGSY-I will become eligible for the new programme to be based on a district rural roads plan (DRRPs). The DRRPs will be prepared by each State on a GIS platform to undertake an assessment of existing traffic, its projects and importance of roads.
While 75 per cent of the total cost of the projects will be met by the Centre, 25 per cent will have to be contributed by the State. The total length of upgradation being taken up under PMGSY-II will be 50,000 kilometres, the official said.