Roadways of Assam

Transport and Communication is the vital infrastructure of a modern economy. An efficient transport system integrates remote, backward and urban areas and plays a vital role in increasing productivity and improving quality of life. Moreover, development of this sector generated large employment opportunities.

Assam being the gateway of the North East India, the need for development of transport and communication sector in the State is of vital importance for speedy economic development of the region. Due to its geographical isolation, transport has been a major bottleneck in the process of economic progress of the State. The State although served by all the modern means of transport viz., roads, railways, waterways and airways, there is enough scope for further improvement of the facilities. The position of the State with regard to the existing means of transport and communications is described briefly in the following paragraph.

Roads:

The principal function of the Public Works Department (PWD) is to de the infrastructure for- transport & Communication of the State and Residential & Non-residential accommodation facility in the State. The Assam PWD (Roads wing) is chiefly responsible for improvement of road communication through construction and maintenance of roads, bridges and culverts for speedy development of the State.

Road Network in Assam:

(in Km)

* Excluding National Highways

Source: Economic Survey Assam 2009-10

At present more than 7000 Km road network including 1635Km National Highways is maintained by the State PWD. Excluding the National Highways, the 36003 Km road length of State Highways, major district roads, urban roads and rural roads consists of 10979 Km is blacktopped roads out of which 558 Km are intermediate lane and 132 Km are double lane or above. The rest, i.e. about 94 percent of the blacktopped road length are single lane. Presence of large number of submersible stretches and nearly 4000 semi-permanent timber bridges have hampered all weather road communication on many of the roads in the State. Moreover, a considerable portion of the maintenance fund has to be spent on maintenance of these bridges and thus hinder the interest of speedy development. However, at present, about 11000 km of road length is under improvement and 1300 nos. bridges are under different projects. Therefore, the State PWD has projected following development activities under the 11^th Five Year Plan period:

• Up-gradation of 2795 km State Highways to double lane.

• Up-gradation of 3669 km Major District Roads to intermediate Lane.

• Improvement of 21000 km rural roads.

• Improvement of 1000 km Urban Roads with adequate drainage, paved shoulder etc.,

• Construction of 5000 RCC bridges.

• Construction of 20 over bridges.

The surfaced road kilometer [excluding NH Way] constitutes 35.1 percent of the total road length in the State during the year 2009-10. This indicates that as against about 48 km per 100 sq.km and about 125 km per lakh of population [projected] of total road length availability during the year 2009-10, about 17 km per 100 sq.km of geographical area and about 44 km per lakh of population [projected] of surfaced roads are available in the State during the same period.

District-wise and Category-wise Length of Roads under PWD in Assam, 2008-09 and 2009-10:

(in Km.)

Source: Statistical Handbook, Assam, 2010

            Statistical Handbook, Assam, 2009

Length of Roads According to type of Surface under P.W.D. in Assam, 2008-9 and 2009-10:

(in Km.)

Source: Statistical Handbook, Assam, 2010

            Statistical Handbook, Assam, 2009

Length of P.W.D. Roads Per Lakh Population and Per '00 Sq. Km. of Geographical Area in Assam, 2008-09 and 2009-10:

(in Km.)

Source: Statistical Handbook, Assam, 2010

            Statistical Handbook, Assam, 2009

National Highway Development Project:

The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI)) is mandated to implement National Highways Development Project (NHDP) in the country.

Out of the total 66754 km length of NH in the Country, Assam’s share is only 4.25 percent. Compared to 20.3 km NH length per thousand sq.km geographical areas and 6.5 km NH length per lakh of population (2001 Census) of the country as a whole, Assam has 36.2 km per thousand sq.km geographical areas and 10.6 km NH per lakh of population in the State.

A length of 678 km connecting Silchar to Srirampur via Lumding-Daboka-Nagaon-Guwahati in Assam has been entrusted to NHAI as part of East-West corridor under NHDP Phase II. Entire length of East-West corridor in Assam has been awarded except 31 km between Udarband and Harangajo for which Detailed Project Report (DPR) for realignment is in progress and four laning works are in different stages of progress. 18 km Guwahati bypass has been completed. For 31 km stretch between Udarband and Harangajo, an estimate amounting to Rs.43.79 crore for improvement to 2-lane has been approved by the Ministry under NH (0).

The Government has given approval for implementation of four laning of NH-37 from Numaligarh to Dibrugarh (201km). This includes construction of 4-lane bridge over the river Brahmaputra connecting
Numaligarh and Gohpur on NH-52 on Built Operated and Transfer [(BOT (Annuity)] basis and 2-laning with paved shoulders of single lane stretches of NHs of 1179 km in the State of Assam under Phase ‘A’ of SARDP-NE (Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for NE).

Details of Roads Under Phase 'A' of ARDP-NE:

Source: Economic Survey Assam 2009-10

Development under the Plan and other Schemes:

Besides State’s own resources, the Assam PWD is implementing various Road, Bridge and Building projects funded from the Govt. of India, World Bank, NABARD and NEC. Some developmental activities as undertaken by the Public Works Department and as reported are briefly discussed below:

i) PMGSY (Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana):

Under this programme, prioritized rural roads of the core network are funded with the objective of providing connectivity to the unconnected habitations. The programme was launched during the year 2000-01. Under this scheme, 15908 Km of road work and 1685 Nos of RCC bridges have been sanctioned for a total cost of Rs.8801.79 Crore. Out of this, 6834 Km roadwork and 414 bridges have been completed.

Achievement Under PMGSY:

Source: Economic Survey Assam 2010-11

Road length completed - 8507 km

Road length in progress - 7401 km

1000+ habitations covered - 6102 nos. (Already connected -4053)

No of bridges sanctioned - 1685

No of bridges completed - 615

No of bridges in progress - 1070

ii) MPNA (Mukhyamantrir Pakipath Nirman Achani):

This programme has been launched by the Govt. of Assam with the objective of providing connectivity with all weather roads to unconnected habitations as in PMGRY. Under this scheme, 1039 Km of roadwork have been sanctioned. Progress of the scheme is detailed as under:

Phase-I: 2004-05:

Sanctioned length - 615 Km.

Work completed - 607 Km.

Work not feasible - 8 Km.

Bridge sanctioned - 2 nos

Bridge Completed - 2 nos

Phase-II: 2007-08:

Sanctioned lengt - 424 Km.

Work completed - 308 Km.

Work in progress - 116 Km.

iii) Assam Vikash Yojana:

Four road projects [improvement / up-gradation of existing roads] have been taken up under the Assam Vikash Yojana (details given below). This project covers 13 RCC bridges, 93.20 Km road length. The State Government has already sanctioned the cost of the project amounting to Rs.157.4155 crore.

a) Improvement / Up-gradation of Mangaldoi - Bhutia chang Road under Assam Border (Phage-I)

Road length sanctioned - 10.10 Km.

Amount sanctioned - Rs.13.40 crore

Work progress - 95%

b) Improvement / Up-gradation of Barpeta to Lengtichinga Road

RCC Bridge sanctioned - 1 No. [Over River Beki with E/W in approaches]

Amount sanctioned - Rs.41.62 crore.

Work progress - 39%

c) Improvement / Up-gradation of Barpeta to Lengtichinga Road

RCC Bridge sanctioned - 2 no. [One over River Mora Beki and the other over River Manas with E/W in approaches]

Amount sanctioned - Rs.31.95 crore

Work progress - Bridge over river Mora beki-56%

                          Bridge over river Manas-39%

d) Improvement / Up-gradation of Dhodar Ali.

Road length sanctioned - 83.10 Km.

RCC Bridges Sanctioned - 10 No.

Amount sanctioned - Rs.70.44 crore

Work progress - 28%

iv) Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR):

The status of achievements in implementation of the scheme presented below.

Work sanctioned - Road length 207 Km., RCC Bridge 194 Nos.

Work completed - Roadwork 115 Km., RCC Bridge 106 Nos.

Work in progress - Road length 92 Km., RCC Bridge 88 Nos.

v) Central Road Fund (CRF) and Centrally Sponsored Schemes for State Road of Inter-State Connectivity and Economic Importance Projects:

The status of achievements in implementation of the programme under the Schemes as follows:

Work Sanctioned - Roadwork 974 Km., RCC Bridge 28Nos.

Amount sanctioned - Rs.370.98 Crore.

Amount released / Utilised - Rs.267.05 Crore

Work completed - Roadwork 697 Km., RCC Bridge 27 Nos.

Work in progress - Roadwork 177 Km (more than 50 %)

                             Roadwork 110Km (less than 50%)

                             RCC Bridge 1 No (40%).

vi) RIDF [Loan assistance from NABARD] Projects:

Road length sanctioned  - 755 Km.

Completed - 379 Km.

RCC Bridges sanctioned - 390 Nos.

Completed - 266 Nos.

Work in progress - Roadwork 62 Km (above 50%)

                             Roadwork 314 Km (less than 50%),

                             Bridge 124 Nos.

vii) State Annual Plan

As per the priority list of 2007-08 under Normal State Plan:

2007-08:

 

Road works sanctioned - 75 Nos.

Amount sanctioned - Rs. 23.11 Crore

Road works completed - 64 Nos.

Road works in progress - 11 Nos

 

2008-09:

 

Road works sanctioned - 34 Nos.

Amount sanctioned - Rs. 9.95 Crore

Road works completed - 29 Nos.

Road works in progress - 50 Nos.

As per the priority list of 2008-09, construction of blacktopped roads at a cost of Rs.50.00 lakh in each Legislative Assembly Constituency (excluding the 6^th Schedule Area) has been sanctioned.

Road works sanctioned - 231 Nos.

Amount Sanctioned - Rs. 58.50 Crore

Road works completed - 175 Nos.

Target for 2009-10 (excluding Assam Bikash Yojana & MPDNA):

Roadwork - 250Km - already completed = 69 Km

Bridge - 2 Nos. (already completed 1 No)

Amount - Rs.60.00 Crore - already utilised 60.00 Crore
 

viii) Assam Agricultural Competitiveness Project (AACP) funded by World Bank:

Sanctioned road length - 716 Km.

Completed - 624 Km.

Sanctioned bridges - 181 Nos.

Completed - 170 Nos.

Amount sanctioned - Rs.502.44 Crore

Amount released/Utilized - Rs.431.35 Crore

Road length in progress - 60 Km. [32 Kms not started due to various reasons]

Bridgework in progress - 4 Nos. Nos. not started due to various reasons]

ix) NEC Scheme:

Sanctioned road length - 2040 Km.

Completed - 1953 Km.

RCC bridges sanctioned - 338 Nos.

Completed - 327 Nos.

Amount Sanctioned - Rs.1160.00 Crore

Amount released/Utilised - Rs.971.00 Crore

Road length in progress - 110 Km.

Bridges in progress - 27 Nos.

Assam State Road Project (ASRP):

Public Works Department, Government of Assam is planning to undertake a road improvement Project in the state with an aim to improve the condition of the State highways (SH) and Major District Roads (MDR).

Government of Assam approached the planning Commission for consideration of a proposal amounting to Rs.1000 crore for up-gradation of 2000 Km of SH and MDRs and another proposal amounting to Rs.1091 crore for conversion of 1051 nos. of SPT Bridges to RCC Bridges. The Government of India accepted the proposal in principle and suggested for a suitably phased proposal starting with a US$200 million at first phase and following with a US$300 million at second phase.

The project preparatory works involving specialized consultancy services which were pre-requisites are in progress.

Source: Economic Survey Assam 2010-11