CM Himanta Biswa Sarma makes PWD road schedules time-bound

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The State Government has streamlined its schedules for superior road infrastructure development through time stipulation.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today reviewed the works of the PWD. He said: "In the coming three years, the government will go for massive road constructions. And this necessitates systematic reforms in the department."

The Chief Minister urged the senior officials to work for 'superior infrastructure'. "We need quality of works within the stipulated time. Henceforth, the tendering of PWD (Roads) will be over by May-June every year, work allotment in July, and work will start from September after the rainy season. If everything goes well, the contractors will get their bills cleared within seven days of completion of works. The contractors will not have to pursue the clearance of bills. They need to concentrate only on the quality of work.

"We are striving towards rapid development of road infrastructure, and I urge the officials to dedicate themselves towards achieving this goal." He further said, "Henceforth, we will implement the Chief Minister's Gramin Sadak Yojana keeping pace with the Prime Minister's Gramin Sadak Yojana."

The Chief Minister reviewed the works of the Mukhya Mantrir Path Pokikoron Asoni, Mukhyo Mantrir Unnat Pokipath Nirman Asoni, Asom Mala, Mathauri Pokipath Nirman Asoni etc. "Now on, we will construct roads under these schemes," he said.

The meeting decided to replace the SOPD (State-Owned Priority Development) schemes with new ones.

According to official sources, most state highways and major district roads are single lanes, and only 20 per cent of the secondary roads in the state are double-lane.

According to India Road Congress Vision, 2021, all state highways should be double-laned, and at least 40 per cent of major district roads should be double-laned.

According to government reports, till 2018-19, the state had 52,890 km roads, including 28,480 km blacktopped roads. The total length of national highways in the state till 2018-19 was 3,900 km, state highways 2,530 km, major district roads 1,714 km and rural roads 40,363 km.

PWD sources said that the widening of roads in the state is not in sync with the number of vehicles. The state experiences an increase of 17 per cent 'road vehicle population' yearly. The density of motor vehicles in Assam was 6.8 per sq km in 2001, and it rose to 42.2 per sq km in 2018-19.

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