SHILLONG:
Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, on January 29, said that the government has invested over Rs 10,000 crore in road connectivity from 2018 to the present. He provided these insights during a comprehensive review of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) – phases I, II, and III in the state.
“From 2018 till today I think the investment we made as far as road connectivity is concerned is not less than Rs 10,000 crore. Can you imagine? And in the current financial year, we introduced one more mission, and that is CM connectivity. We would like to ensure that even in those villages which are already connected, further connectivity will be established, and we are committed to that,” he said.
Tynsong also exuded confidence in completing PMGSY-I and PMGSY-II by March 31, 2024, with almost all critical projects nearing the target. He assured that the state would achieve 100% completion within the remaining timeline.
“I am happy to inform you that perhaps only a few critical projects are yet to reach the target point, as indicated by the ministry. However, I am very sure that within a few months, we will be able to achieve 100 per cent completion of the implementation of PMGSY-I and PMGSY–II,” he said.
Regarding PMGSY-III, he mentioned ongoing work, with some contractors completing their projects and others yet to start.
“I don’t have many records because PMGSY-I and II were being covered by the census and that census started from 2003-04 and 2005 when PMGSY-I just started in the whole nation where the villages, which are yet to be connected, the mission of the government that time was to reach out to all unconnected villages,” he said.
Tynsong acknowledged the census data, revealing around 250 to 300 villages are still unconnected. He further added that with regards to PMGSY-III, it is only for the upgradation and recarpeting of the existing state roads, and this one the target is for 1250 km.
Addressing the backlog in the road sector, Tynsong emphasized the government’s commitment to achieving zero-level road connectivity through initiatives like CRF, NESID, and NABARD.
Responding to concerns about road construction quality, Tynsong asserted that since assuming office as the minister in charge of PWD (Roads), measures were in place to enhance quality. “I instructed up to the junior engineer level that compromising on quality is not acceptable,” he added.