Lok Sabha Question No. 1143 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-08
Subject: National Rural Road Development Agency
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Gajanan Chandrakant Kirtikar, Anurag Sharma, C.N. Annadurai, Dhanush M Kumar, Manjulata Mandal, Gautham Sigamani Pon, Omprakash Bhupalsinh alias Pawan Rajenimbalkar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1143

ANSWERED ON 08/02/2022

## NATIONAL RURAL ROAD DEVELOPMENT AGENCY

## 1143.   SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR:

SHRI ANURAG SHARMA:

SHRI C.N. ANNADURAI:

SHRI DHANUSH M. KUMAR:

SHRIMATI MANJULATA MANDAL:

SHRI GAUTHAM SIGAMANI PON:

SHRI OMPRAKASH BHUPALSINH ALIAS PAWAN RAJENIMBALKAR:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether with rapid expansion in road network under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana(PMGSY) the number of road accidents in rural areas have increased or decreased, if so, the details thereof along with the percentage of road accident fatalities reported in rural areas during the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise;
- (b) whether the National Rural Road Development Agency (NRRDA) under the Ministry of Rural Development has advised the State Governments to create a separate cell for taking care of the road safety issues;
- (c) if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) whether the Government has issued directions to the State Governments to make budgetary provision for formulation, execution, monitoring and evaluation of rural road safety annual plan of action; and
- (e) if so, the response of the State Governments thereto?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI FAGGAN SINGH KULASTE)

- (a) Rural  Roads  is  a  State  subject  and  roads  under  PMGSY  are  constructed  and maintained by the states. The Ministry does not maintain the data of road accidents.
- (b) & (c) NRIDA has issued advisory (copy enclosed as Annexure-I) to the states on Road Safety advising them to constitute an in-house separate cell with the existing technical staff to monitor  the  road  safety  issues  during  planning,  construction  and  operation  of  PMGSY projects.

Further, PMGSY-III guidelines also specify that safety aspects have to be an integral part of road  design  during  the  preparation  of  Detailed  Project  Reports  (DPRs).   It  is  mandated  to undertake design stage road safety audit of all PMGSY-III roads, which are more than 5 km in length. NRIDA has issued detailed guidelines in this regard on 06.10.2020. So far, Design Stage Road Safety Audit has been conducted for 3,899 roads sanctioned under PMGSY-III.

NRIDA has also circulated a list of 830 certified Road Safety Auditors who have completed two-week course on road safety audit conducted by Government recognized institutes such as Indian  Academy  of  Highway  Engineers  (IAHE),  Central  Road  Research  Institute  (CRRI), Asian Institute of Transport Development (AITD) etc. The States have been advised to use these Road Safety Auditors for conducting Road Safety Audits of PMGSY roads.

(d) & (e)  The cost of implementing the engineering measures for road safety (excluding land acquisition),  is  a  part  of  construction  cost  and  is  included  in  the  Detailed  Project  Report. Further, States have been advised to make necessary budgetary provisions for establishment of Road Safety Cell and to develop and monitor their own Rural Road Safety Annual Action Plan through a circular dated 07.02.2017 (copy enclosed as Annexure-I).

*******

Mahesh Hiremath Director (Projects-I)

Tel: 011-26179556

Fax: 011-26179555

Email:  mahesh.34@gov.in

DO No.P-15016/07/2007/P-I

## Annexure-I

Date: 7

th February, 2017

The  Ministry  of  Rural  Development,  Govt.  of  India,  with  the  support  of  NRRDA  and with all the States as implementing agencies has  been  successful  in constructing nearly 5.00 lakh  kilometers  of  rural  roads  under  PMGSY  since  its  inception  from  December,  2000.  In  the early  years  of  implementation  of the  programme,  it  was  not focused  on road  safety  issues  and mitigation of the accidental hazards, both while preparing the DPRs and as well as during road construction. But now keeping in view the fact that on substantial network of rural roads have been built and has seen increased traffic, hence the need for rural road safety and preparation of annual  plans  in  this  regard  has  been  felt.  NRRDA  in  collaboration  with  Asian  Development Bank  (ADB)  &  the  States  have  papered  a  Rural  Road  Safety  Manual,  which  is  going  to  be released shortly.

2. lnspite  of  the  intensive  efforts  of  Ministry  of  Rural  Development,  Gol    still  instances have  come  to  the  notice  wherein  frequent    accidents    are  occurring    on  newly  constructed/ upgraded  rural  roads. It is attributed to inability in correctly assessing the  road safety implications at the time of planning and as well during implementation and execution of DPRs.
3. In order to implement the road safety issues, the implementing States have to have their proper in-house capacity for monitoring these issues during planning, construction and operation.
4. It  is  proposed  that  the  SRRDAs  shall  constitute  within  SRRDA  with  the  existing technical staff a separate cell for taking care of the Road Safety issues.  Such cells will be useful in  educating  the  road  users,  rural  public,  contractors,  executing  staff  in  mitigating  loss  of  life, damage to road structure and vehicles and also in implementation of notified policies, procedures and practices.
5. In  case  of  non-possibility  of  in-house  capacity  to  look  after  the  road  safety  issues  the States can opt in initial years for engaging suitable and expert consultants for conducting studies on road safety issues for existing rural road network duly notifying for the expression of interest. Such consultants could also help the SRRDA, in preparation of rural road Safety Annual Plan of Action.
6. It  is  also  necessary  for  the  States  to  have  budgetary  provision  for  formulation,  execution, monitoring and evaluation of the Rural Road Safety Annual Plan of Action.
7. Therefore, the States should immediately initiate action to establish a cell in their SRRDAs and develop their own Rural Road Safety Annual Action Plan for its complete implementation. It is requested to the States to share their Rural Road Safety Annual Action Plan 2017-18 at the earliest.

Yours Sincerely,

(Mahesh Hiremath)