In a major success in implementing rural connectivity to far-flung areas, Nadia has laid 1822 kilometres of rural roads under Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yajona (PMGSY) scheme till today.
Recognised as a top-performing district in construction of rural roads, it has further proposed 30 roads covering 198.10 kilometers at the cost of Rs 175.81 crore under PPMGSYIII scheme. The Nadia division of West Bengal State Rural Development Agency has already put together submitted project reports using modern tools and machines to detect real time traffic data, including vehicle count, classification, traffic volume, average traffic speed and thickness of the road through video-based Automatic Traffic Counter and Classifier (ATCC) and Axle Wheel Pad (AWP).
Mr Biswajit Dutta, executive engineer of WBSRDA, Nadia division, said, “To get most of the proposed road sanctioned, we have prepared detailed reports of each road. As Rural Connectivity Training and Research Centre (RCTRC) is situated at Kalyani in our district, we have taken all technical support based on principles of Road Asset Management from this centre.” The objective of the PMGSY, launched as a 100 per cent centrally sponsored scheme in December 2000, was to provide all weather-road access to unconnected habitations having a population of 500 persons and above by utilising the cess levied by the Union government on the high-speed diesel.
Mr Dutta said under the PMGSY-I scheme during 10 financial years ending with 2018-19, a total of 252 roads were constructed for a distance of 1690 kilometres, at a cost of Rs 639 crore, in the district. Subsequently, under the PMGSYII scheme implemented on the Cost Sharing Basis, Rs 95.75 crore was spent to lay 14 roads covering a distance of 132 kilometres. He also said, “In the PMGSYI, we constructed roads to provide connectivity by way of all-weather roads to the unconnected habitations in rural areas.
In PMGSY-II, we stressed on the upgradation of the existing roads and connectivity with the habitation centered with school, college, bank and market in the rural fringes. At present, there is no habitation where PMGSY connectivity has not been reached.” Mr Dutta added that the PMGSY envisages only single road connectivity to be provided. If a habitation is already connected to another connected habitation by way of all weather roads, then no further work can be taken up under the PMGSY at that habitation.