The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (Prime Minister's Rural Roads Program) roads usually generate new traffic and are sometimes being used as a shortcut if they provide a through route. Some field visits identified that some of the roads being used as shortcuts have already deteriorated. Consultation with communities also revealed that local residents were concerned about the quality of design and that it might not cater for future traffic. Also, the recent traffic survey (during the project completion review mission for the Rural Roads Sector I Project) found much higher traffic on the project roads than anticipated at appraisal. Systematic catering for future traffic growth must be strengthened, both in planning methodology and also in broader road network management.
MFF - Rural Roads Sector II Investment Program (Subproject 1)