PWD rolls out plan to improve road condition

LUCKNOW: Public works department (PWD) minister Shivpal Yadav on Tuesday outlined the state government’s multilayered plans to vastly improve the road infrastructure in Uttar Pradesh.

Presenting his department’s budget for 2014-15 in the state assembly, Yadav said the World Bank had agreed to provide a Rs 2,450-crore loan for widening of 1000 kilometre of roads in the state. The government had earmarked Rs 1050 crore as its share in the scheme, the minister declared and further said the process for the appointment of consultants for the project had already started. Similarly, the Asian Development Bank had okayed a Rs 1870 crore loan with UP’s share of Rs 800 crore for improvement of roads in the districts, he said.

Stressing on quality control in work, he said e-governance in maintaining records was being planned to achieve this.

The department had already introduced e-tendering for projects above Rs 1 crore in this connection, Yadav added.

The BJP members raised slogans in the well of the house even as the minister presented the budget.

Referring to an increase of 39% in the overall budgetary provisions of the department, Yadav said villages with a popu- lation of 500 and above would be connected with proper roads by 2015 under the Ram Saran Das village road scheme.

The government has provided Rs 15,100 crore for construction and strengthening of roads, bridges and road links. Similarly, Rs 2492 crore has been earmarked for main- tenance of roads and Rs 631 crore provided for the construction of and strengthening of roads in Pilibhit, Kheri, Bahraich, Shravasti, Balrampur, Sidharthnagar and Maharajganj districts on the India-Nepal border. Yadav said the central government had approved Rs 1621 crore project in 2010-11 but it had been pending for the past three years. It will cover 572 kilometre of roads on the border.

The department has decided to implement the project to link district headquarters with four-lane roads in Chitrakoot, Mahoba, Kushina g ar and Bhadohi.

Besides, the government has earmarked Rs 722 crore for roads and bridges under the special component plan.

The department has provided Rs 72 crore for Bundelkhand development and Rs 253 crore for the Poorvanchal development fund.

He said during the current fiscal 1100 km road would be repaired and there was a provision of Rs 1568 crore for construction of bridges on rivers and railway over bridges (ROBs).