Question : ROADS UNDER PMGSY

(a) whether a three tier arrangement has been made for maintaining the quality in construction of roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY);

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether there is any provision of declaring sub-standard roads, which are not fit for further improvement;

(d) if so, the details thereof;

(e) whether a large number of roads constructed /under construction under the said scheme in various States have been declared under ‘U’ grade;

(f) if so, the details thereof; and

(g) the arrangements being made for construction/re-construction of the said ‘U’ grade roads?

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

(a): Yes Sir.

(b): Ensuring the quality of the road works is the responsibility of the State Governments. A three tier quality mechanism has been put in place for ensuring the quality of road works under the programme. First Tier is in-house quality control and second tier is independent monitoring at State level. These two tiers are the responsibility of the States. 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.

(c): Yes Sir..

(d): In the inspections carried out by NQMs after 1st April, 2009, if any work upon completion has been graded as ‘Unsatisfactory’ by NQM and if defects in work are of non-rectifiable nature, the work is treated as work with non-rectifiable defects. An amount equivalent to expenditure on works will be set-off against the future release of programme funds to the concerned States upon confirmation that works are having non-rectifiable defects. So far 61 works from 15 States have been identified as works with non-rectifiable defects based on inspections carried out by NQMs during the period April – September, 2009.

(e)&(f): No Sir. At National level, 9% of completed works and 15% of ongoing works have been found to be ‘unsatisfactory’ in NQM inspections conducted during the period 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10. State-wise position is annexed.

(g): If quality of any work is graded as “Unsatisfactory”, the Programme Implementing Unit (PIU) shall ensure that the contractor replaces the material or rectifies the workmanship (as the case may be) within the time period stipulated and furnish Action Taken Reports in such cases. Monitoring of submission of Action Taken Report is carried out and States are required to take appropriate action in such cases.