State to maintain 54k km rural roads: Minister

The state government will soon take up the repair and maintenance of a vast network of rural roads under Chief Minister Gramin Sumarga yojane, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said Friday.

He told reporters at Yermarus, “The government has constructed about 54,000 km of roads in rural Karnataka under various schemes, including Pradhanmantri Gram Sadak yojane, Mukhyamantri Gramin Raste yojane, Namma Hola-Namma Raste among others. There is a need to keep them in good condition. Under Chief Minister Gramin Sumarga, maintenance of 25,000 km of rural roads will be taken up in the first phase.”

Engineers will visit villages to inspect the roads and accord them the grading based on their condition. This work is expected to be completed by July 20, the minister said.

The detailed project report (DPR) of the project will be prepared after consulting the respective MLAs.

In the first year, 8,000 km of roads will be taken up for maintenance, 7,000 km roads in the second year and 5,000 in the third year. Under the scheme, roads will be repaired and those in poor condition will
be relaid, the minister explained.

The cost of the project is pegged at Rs 7,180 crore. The state government will borrow Rs 2,000 crore from international finance agencies, he added.