EXPERIENCES OF ACADEMIC INTERVENTIONS IN DPR PREPARATION FOR RURAL ROADS UNDER PMGSY

Abstract

The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) has been launched in December 2000, with the objective of providing connectivity, through good All-weather roads, to all unconnected Habitations, with a population of more than 500 persons, by the year 2007. The District Panchayat will finalize the list of road works to be taken up under the PMGSY each year. Then, it will prepare the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for each proposed roadwork. The State Technical Agency (STA) will scrutinize these proposals. The National Rural Road Development Agency (NRRDA), Ministry of Rural Development has identified reputed Technical lnstitutions as STAs for technical scrutiny of proposals. The Transportation Division, Department of Civil Engineering of NIT, Warangal is one such STA to scrutinize proposals prepared by Panchayat Raj Engineering Department of Andhra Pradesh state. In its capacity as STA, it has scrutinized several DPRS of rural roads for the last three years. Because of the intervention of NIT Warangal, the standard of DPR preparation has improved. Further, the knowledge of field engineers has increased many folds. There are many occasions, where the cost of proposal was reduced with better and optimum design. Further, full connectivity to habitations was established, which is the heart of PMGSY scheme. An attempt is made in this paper to share some of these experiences.