BHUBANESWAR: Odisha - recognised as one of the best performing states in the construction of rural roads - has completed construction of 62,192 km of roads under the flagship Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) by the end of March 31, 2021.
Since the inception of the rural infrastructure programme in 2000, the Ministry of Rural Development has sanctioned 17,350 road projects with a length of 70,767 km for the State which has completed 15,803 projects with a total length of 62,192 km.
Similarly, 626 bridges were sanctioned during the last 20 years of which 410 have been completed. Of the total road length under various verticals (PMGSY-I, II, III and RCPLWEA), 8,575 km length is yet to be completed.
After reduction in curve length, change in alignment, construction of part length by other agencies, the State is required to complete construction of the 6,224 km road.
Union Minister of State for MoRD Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti informed this to the Lok Sabha on Tuesday in response to a question by BJD MP Ramesh Chandra Majhi.
The Union Minister said that 48 road projects covering a length of 486 km and two bridges have been sanctioned under the Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremist Areas (PCPLWEA). The State has completed construction of 20 roads of 245 km length. The two bridges have remained incomplete.
The Centre had sanctioned 3,685 km of roads to connect 317 habitations out of which, the State has constructed around 1,850 km providing all-weather connectivity to 269 villages.
In the current financial year, 2,700 km of roads were sanctioned to connect 326 villages. The achievement so far is 174 km and the villages connected are 139.
Sunset date for PMGSY-I &II is targeted as March 2022 while for RCPLWEA works, it is targeted as March, 2023 and for PMGSY-III works, the sunset date is March, 2025.
IN LAST 20 YEARS
Sanctioned - 17,350 road projects with a length of 70,767 km
Completed - 15,803 road projects with a length of 62,192 km
Bridge Projects - 626 bridges sanctioned, 410 completed