(a) whether several shortcomings in regard to quality of roads constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana across the country have been reported from States including Uttar Pradesh involving the tender procedure and use of bitumin and other substandard materials in the construction of roads which are withering before their expiry date;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the likely loss per annum due to these sub-standard roads; and
(c) the action taken by the Government thereon?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI SUDARSHAN BHAGAT)
(a) to (c): ‘Rural Roads’ is a State subject and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) is a one-time special intervention to provide rural connectivity, by way of a single all-weather road, to the eligible unconnected habitations in the core network. Projects under PMGSY are executed by State Governments through their designated agencies i.e. State Rural Roads Development Agencies (SRRDAs) and Project Implementation Units (PIUs).
Complaints about various irregularities in the construction of road works including those of tender procedures under PMGSY are received from time to time. These complaints are normally sent to the respective States for taking necessary action, as execution and ensuring the quality of road works under PMGSY is the responsibility of the respective State Governments. In case an adequate response is not received within the stated time schedule, the National Rural Roads Development Agency (NRRDA) deputes National Quality Monitors (NQMs) and further processing is done on the basis of NQM reports.
There is a well defined three tier quality assurance mechanism (at Project Implementation Unit level, State level and National level) in place to ensure quality and durability of road assets under PMGSY. This system also detects deficiencies in material and workmanship of PMGSY roads and such deficiencies are promptly brought to the notice of the State Government for rectification.
Under 2nd Tier Quality Monitoring at the State level, 67,404 inspections were made by State Quality Monitors (SQMs) during the period 1/4/2012 to 31/3/2015 and in about 25% instances, defects/scope for improvements were pointed out for necessary rectification to the respective States.
Under 3rd Tier Quality Monitoring at National level, National Quality Monitors (NQMs) are assigned inspections by NRRDA. For road-works graded as ‘Satisfactory Requiring Improvement’ (SRI) and ‘Unsatisfactory’ (U) on the basis of observations of the NQMs, the States are asked to submit “online” Action Taken Reports (ATRs) and these ATRs are processed by NRRDA also online. From 1/11/2010 till 31/3/2015, 14,007 such inspections have been conducted by NQMs, across the country and defects/scope for improvements were pointed out to the States. The action taken by the States are being monitored online at NRRDA.
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