Question : ROADS CONSTRUCTED UNDER PMGSY

(a) whether the Government is aware that roads constructed in some States under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) have got dilapidated within a very short period;

(b) whether the Government has also received complaints regarding sub-standard material used/being used in construction of roads under PMGSY;

(c) if so, the details thereof, State-wise;

(d) whether any inquiry has been conducted by the Government to find out the causes and fix the responsibility;

(e) if so, the details thereof and the action taken thereon; and

(f) the further steps taken by the Government to check recurrence of such shortcomings?

MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI PRADEEP JAIN `ADITYA`)

(a) Rural roads constructed under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) are covered by 5-year maintenance contracts, to be entered into alongwith the construction contract, with the same contractor, in accordance with the Standard Bidding Document. Maintenance funds to service the contract are to be budgeted by the State Governments and placed at the disposal of State Rural Roads Development Agencies (SRRDAs) in a separate Maintenance Account.

(b) to (f) During the year 2009-10, a total of 98 complaints regarding poor quality of road works, including use of sub-standard material in construction of roads under PMGSY, were received in the Ministry of Rural Development. State-wise details of these complaints are given in Annexure. Rural Road being a State subject, the States are responsible for implementation of the programme including tendering, contract management and quality control. However in order to ensure high quality of roads under programme a Three Tier Quality Mechanism has been put in place. First Tier relating to in-house quality control and second tier relating to independent monitoring at State level are the responsibility of the State Governments. The Third tier is envisaged as an independent monitoring mechanism at the central level. Under this tier, the independent National Quality Monitors (NQMs) are engaged for inspections of roads, selected at random. The NQMs carry out inspections on the basis of guidelines and they are required to make observations about the quality of works including that of use of sub-standard material in an objective manner, after performing the required laboratory tests, hand field tests or visual observations, as the case may be. Immediately after the visit of NQM is over, the inspection report is handed over to Project Implementation Unit (PIU). If quality of any work is graded as `Unsatisfactory`, the PIU shall ensure that the contractor replaces the material or rectifies the workmanship (as the case may be) within the time period stipulated. The PIUs are also required to furnish Action Taken Reports to NRRDA in such cases. Close monitoring of submission of Action Taken Report is carried out and States are required to take appropriate action in such cases.