Date:27/04/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/04/27/stories/2008042755650700.htm

New Delhi

Rajasthan to construct 5,000 km of new rural roads

Special Correspondent

The amount to be spent would be the highest expenditure under PMGSY in the country

JAIPUR: The Rajasthan Government has formulated a plan for constructing new roads measuring 5,000 km and upgrading the roads of the length of 6,900 km at a cost of Rs.2,000 crore under the Prime Minister’s Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) during 2008-09.

State Public Works Department Minister Rajendra Rathore said at a review meting of the Rajasthan Rajya Sadak Vikas Nigam here over the weekend that this would be the highest expenditure under PMGSY in the country. Over 1,600 villages across the State will be connected with roads on the completion of the scheme.

Mr. Rathore said the State Government had set a record by constructing roads measuring 9,887 km against the target of 9,215 km during 2007-08 and connected 3,070 villages with roads against the target of 2,390. For these works, Rs.1,455 crore was spent against the target of Rs.1,300 crore.

The Minister instructed the Sadak Vikas Nigam officials to pay attention to maintenance of quality in the construction works and complete the tasks assigned to them strictly on schedule. He said the construction of as many as 17 railway over-bridges would be completed this year.

Mr. Rathore also reviewed the progress of works such as e-tendering, missing links scheme, mega-highway projects, construction of cement roads in the heavily populated areas and linking the religious sites and tourist destinations with the roads.