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Bricks to replace concrete on roads

Special Correspondent

Raje Govt. move follows damage to the old ones because of poor quality

JAIPUR: The Rajasthan Government has decided to construct roads of bricks and stones in the lanes and pathways of villages in place of the existing cement-concrete roads. The decision follows widespread damage to old roads reportedly because of their poor quality.

State Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Kalulal Gujjar said here on Saturday that the good quality of cement-concrete roads could not be ensured due to the lack of availability of proper machinery and technical supervision with the Panchayati Raj institutions.

Cement-concrete roads are built in the villages mainly under the Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana, State Finance Commission, Twelfth Finance Commission, MPs' and MLAs' Local Area Development Fund and Magra and Dang regional development schemes.

Mr. Gujjar said these roads were often damaged in a short duration, putting the villagers to inconvenience.

Mr. Gujjar said the State Government's decision to replace the cement-concrete roads with the brick-stone roads would ensure the construction of quality roads at low cost and with limited financial resources. Cement will also be used in the new roads as one of the construction materials.

The Minister said cement-concrete roads would henceforth not be sanctioned under the rural development works. While the construction of drains will continue in accordance with the existing norms, the technical specifications for roads will shortly be issued separately.

Mr. Gujjar pointed out that a village panchayat insisting on the construction of cement-concrete roads to meet specific requirements would be allowed to do so only after prior approval by the State Government.

Toilets in rural areas

Lavatories in the rural areas of Rajasthan will now be built along with the construction launched under the relief works as part of the Total Sanitation Campaign in the State. The State Government has taken the decision after considering a project report submitted to it by UNICEF recently.

An official release stated here on Sunday that the village panchayats and beneficiaries would jointly bear the financial burden of construction of toilets.

The UNICEF report had estimated an expenditure of Rs. 4,700 to Rs. 6,200 on the construction of each lavatory.

The release said while Rs. 1,200 would be paid under the labour component from the relief head, the remainder would be borne by the beneficiaries and village panchayats.

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