The State Government has focussed attention on improving the road network, the rural road infrastructure in particular, in the next three years with an estimated ₹3,000 crore.
The government had accordingly prioritised work relating to providing two-lane connectivity to all the mandal headquarters and important market centres in the coming months. This will be earnestly followed by providing BT road connectivity to all the more than 12,000 gram panchayats.
On the back burner
The decision, according to senior officials, comes after Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has directed them to focus on strengthening the existing road network before opting for new roads. Focus on creating new network could result in pushing the repairs and other work of the existing roads to back burner. “The Chief Minister is firm that we first improve whatever is there rather than going for new projects,” a senior official told The Hindu adding development of road network would be one of the areas of prime focus for the government in its second term.
The State has total road network of around 27,520 km of which the National Highways constitute little over 5,000 km. Repairs on several of the existing State roads were pending while there was no proper road connectivity to close to 1,000 gram panchayats. Keeping this in view, the Chief Minister is said to have accorded priority to the development and strengthening of the existing road network. Accordingly, the focus henceforth would be on taking up repairs to roads wherever required, completion of the incomplete bridges, particularly those connecting the villages and double-laning of roads connecting mandal headquarters and crucial market centres. The Roads and Buildings Department has directed the district Collectors concerned to assess the exact stretch of roads that need improvements in their respective jurisdictions and send detailed reports before February 15.
Action plan
Once the reports are received, the department would finalise action plan for taking up the work -- district and mandal-wise. The government on its part has agreed to make budgetary allocations for taking up work and the department is planning to utilise the grants from the National Highways Authority of India as well as those allocated under the Central Road Fund, the official said.