Lok Sabha Question No. 2276 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-10
Subject: Maintenance of Roads by BRO
Ministry: DEFENCE
Asked by: Nihal Chand Chauhan, Ramesh Bidhuri

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

## DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2276

TO BE ANSWERED ON 10 th   DECEMBER, 2021

## MAINTENANCE OF ROADS BY BRO

2276. SHRI NIHAL CHAND: SHRI RAMESH BIDHURI:

Will the Minister of DEFENCE

be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Border  Roads  Organisation  (BRO)  has  taken  steps  for  construction  of  all weather road upto international borders of the country;
- (b) if so, the details and present status of the work thereof;
- (c) whether there has been any delay in construction of roads in bordering areas and if so, the reasons therefor;
- (d) the amount of funds sanctioned and spent by the Union Government on maintenance of roads  constructed  by  BRO  in  various  States  during  the  last  three  years  along  with  the guidelines laid down for maintenance of such roads;
- (e) whether the Government has any plan for implementation of road projects in border areas of Rajasthan in the near future and if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) the steps taken for better management of roads in border areas by BRO?

## A    N    S    W    E    R

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

(SHRI AJAY BHATT)

- (a) & (b): Yes, Sir. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has taken steps on various road projects for construction of all-weather roads upto International Border . As per revised Long Term Roll-on Works Plan(LTRoWP) 2018 -23, BRO has 257 road projects in different border areas of the country for a length of 13525 km. Details of these road projects are as under -:

| Sl. No   | International Border            |   No of Road projects |   Length ( Km ) |
|----------|---------------------------------|-----------------------|-----------------|
| 1        | Indo - China                    |                   140 |            7909 |
| 2        | Indo - Pakistan                 |                    98 |            4259 |
| 3        | Indo - Myanmar                  |                    14 |             989 |
| 4        | Indo - Bangladesh               |                    04 |             344 |
| 5        | Island Territory ( A&N Island ) |                    01 |              24 |
| Total    | Total                           |                   257 |           13525 |

(c ) Yes, Sir . There are delays in execution of some of the road projects in bordering areas, mainly due to following reasons :-

- ( i ) Delay in Forest / Wildlife clearance .
- ( ii ) Delay in land acquisition .
- ( iii ) Limited working season .
- ( iv ) Difficulties in availability of construction material .
- ( v ) Damages due to natural disasters .

( d ) Details of funds sanctioned and spent by the Union Government on maintenance of roads by BRO in various States during the last three years are as under :-

Rs. in Crs

| S / No   | State / UT        | 2018 - 19       | 2018 - 19   | 2019 - 20       | 2019 - 20   | 2020 - 21       | 2020 - 21   |
|----------|-------------------|-----------------|-------------|-----------------|-------------|-----------------|-------------|
| S / No   | State / UT        | Fund sanctioned | Fund spent  | Fund sanctioned | Fund spent  | Fund sanctioned | Fund spent  |
| 1        | Arunachal Pradesh | 104 . 18        | 104 . 18    | 139 . 64        | 139 . 64    | 241 . 49        | 241 . 49    |
| 2        | Assam             | 6 . 64          | 6 . 64      | 10 . 12         | 10 . 12     | 14 . 38         | 14 . 38     |
| 3        | Mizoram           | 19 . 11         | 19 . 11     | 29 . 76         | 29 . 76     | 48 . 90         | 48 . 90     |
| 4        | Manipur           | 15 . 26         | 15 . 26     | 11 . 95         | 11 . 95     | 18 . 27         | 18 . 27     |
| 5        | Nagaland          | 22 . 57         | 22 . 57     | 34 . 44         | 34 . 44     | 26 . 43         | 26 . 43     |
| 6        | Sikkim            | 32 . 57         | 32 . 57     | 30 . 89         | 30 . 89     | 46 . 68         | 46 . 68     |
| 7        | West Bengal       | 5 . 46          | 5 . 46      | 5 . 40          | 5 . 40      | 19 . 68         | 19 . 68     |
| 8        | Uttarakhand       | 35 . 30         | 35 . 30     | 47 . 46         | 47 . 46     | 39 . 55         | 39 . 55     |
| 9        | Himachal Pradesh  | 50 . 61         | 50 . 61     | 60 . 35         | 60 . 35     | 87 . 96         | 87 . 96     |
| 10       | Ladakh            | 86 . 35         | 86 . 35     | 130 . 53        | 130 . 53    | 190 . 80        | 190 . 80    |
| 11       | J&K               | 156 . 13        | 156 . 13    | 156 . 51        | 156 . 51    | 231 . 35        | 231 . 35    |
| 12       | Rajasthan         | 44 . 46         | 44 . 46     | 55 . 42         | 55 . 42     | 66 . 27         | 66 . 27     |
| 13       | Punjab            | 12 . 09         | 12 . 09     | 15 . 61         | 15 . 61     | 16 . 08         | 16 . 08     |
| Total    | Total             | 590 . 73        | 590 . 73    | 728 . 08        | 728 . 08    | 1047 . 84       | 1047 . 84   |

As regards the  Guidelines for maintenance of roads  by  BRO is concerned, it is stated that once the road is completed regular maintenance is required to be undertaken by BRO for the preservation of assets, optimal utilization and traffic safety . Some of the activities undertaken as per the maintenance guidelines are given below :-

(i) Regular / Routine  Maintenance : It  consists  of  repair  of  Pot  holes,  jungle clearance,  drain  clearance,  clearance  of  cross  drainage,  repair  of  Parapet  walls, Retaining  walls  and  Breast  wall,  Berm  filling  and  slide  clearance  to  keep  the  road open for traffic .

(ii) Special Repair : This repair includes restoration of damages to road formation and  damage  of  cross  drainage  works . The  special  repairs  are  undertaken  after obtaining sanction of the works whenever / whatever required .

(iii) Emerging Repairs : This repair includes works undertaken to restore the line of communication  disrupted  due  to  natural  calamities  and  to  prevent  loss / damage  to Public property .

- (iv) Renewal of Surfacing : This is done periodically based on the guidelines issued on life cycle and specifications for renewal of surface course .

( e ) : Presently as per revised LTRoWP, 2018 -23, 13 roads of length 884 . 31 Km have been planned  so  far  for  construction / improvement  in  the  State  of  Rajasthan  to  strengthen  the border areas .

( f ): Following  steps  have  been  taken  for  better  road  management  in  border  areas  by BRO :-

- ( i ) Enhanced  financial  and  administrative  powers  have  been  given  to  various BRO executives .
- ( ii ) New technologies and techniques have been adopted to enhance the pace of road construction .
- ( iii ) Induction of new and modern equipments .
- ( iv ) With  the  induction  of  Chinook  Helicopters,  the  capability  of  air  lifting  of heavy equipments for unconnected portions of the road has increased manifold .

( v ) Engineering Procurement Construction ( EPC ) mode of construction has been adopted for all works above Rs . 100 crores to augment the capability of BRO .

- ( vi ) Regular monitoring of the works in progress for critical projects .

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