Shillong, Feb 27: The demand for creation of a separate agency to ensure maintenance of roads in the state, raised by a legislator in the assembly on Monday, has been ruled out by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma who said setting up of such a “separate or dedicated agency for maintenance of roads will impose a heavy financial impact on the state exchequer.”
Replying to a motion moved by UDP legislator Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar from Mawkyrwat, the chief minister said, “Creating or having a separate or dedicated agency for maintenance of roads will impose a heavy financial impact on the State exchequer as Agency Charge has to be incorporated in the estimate. Moreover, to have a separate, dedicated agency for maintenance of roads will curtail the works entrusted to existing engineers of the organized Department.”
He added that the concern of the Member of the August House on the need to have a dedicated agency for road maintenance in the State is not necessary at this juncture as the Government is putting all efforts to improve and utilize the existing manpower and infrastructure available with the Department, as well as increasing the Budget allocation every year to meet the challenges.
The chief minister also said that it may not be out of place to mention here that the Monitoring and Evaluation Branch of the Public Works Department (Roads) has also been designated to assist and coordinate in connection with the work for developing of this RAMS.
Sangma said the maintenance fund available for the current year 2023-24 as per the Budget provision is 414.213 crores inclusive of 75.00 crores under Central Road Fund, 6.00 erores for maintenance of National Highways and 50.00 crores for maintenance of PMGSY Roads.
“Of this amount approximately 113.21 crores will be incurred on committed liabilities i.e. for payment of salaries of work charge staff and Muster Roll labourers. Therefore, the actual amount available for maintenance of State roads is EI70.00 crores only,” he said while adding that the requirement of maintenance fund worked out on the basis of norms of the Ministry of Road Transport & Highway is around 484.00 crores whereas the actual amount available for the year 2023-24 is only 170.00 crores.
Sangma said this inadequacy of funds restricts the Department in carrying out periodical renewal of road pavement vital to its longevity and maintaining the riding quality.
In addition, maintenance of semi-permanent timber (SPT) bridges is extremely important which has to be taken up on emergency basis to prevent snap of road communication and closure to movement of traffic, he said adding that in spite of inadequate fund, road maintenance activities are being carried out from time to time for the convenience and safety of the road users.
He said special repair works are taken up to restore and rehabilitate roads in order to safeguard the life and property of the public, maintain road communications and avoid closure movement of vehicular traffic adding that this results in outstanding bills of contractors amounting to 582.00 crores as on 01.07-2023.
“I would like to state here that despite the huge gap between fund requirement and the availability of funds, the Public Works Department is taking all efforts to maintain, restore and rehabilitate important and busy roads in the interest of the people of the State,” he said.
He said that the Public Work Department (Roads) has evolved into a well-organized set up that has based its offices in almost every corner of the State for carrying out works and for the interest and convenience of the public and, in terms of manpower, the department has sufficient engineers “capable, experienced and trained to supervise the execution and maintenance of roads.”
