Vulnerability of Road Safety in Sensitive Areas of Chattisgarh is a Matter of Concern: Central Govt.

The predictable and repetitive nature of some of the work being undertaken by the Security Forces in Bastar like road protection and administrative movements makes them vulnerable to attack by insurgents, the Central Government has informed.

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are in place laying down precautionary measures required to be taken for conduct of operations and against IEDs, it observed.

Notably, Chhattisgarh Government had been sanctioned Rs 352 crores for development of roads in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) infested districts under Road Requirement Plan-I (RRP-I)  during the last financial year.

The Chhattisgarh government had informed  last year that new roads measuring 1320 kms have been completed in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) infested districts of the State under Centre’s RRP-I scheme.

It may be recalled that the worst insurgency infested districts of Chhattisgarh would be able to further provide a boost to rural road connectivity work with the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi approving a Centrally Sponsored Scheme namely "Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism (LWE) Affected Areas".

The project is aimed at improving the rural road connectivity in the worst LWE affected districts from security angle, officials informed.

The project is being implemented as a vertical under PMGSY to provide connectivity with necessary culverts and cross-drainage structures in 44 worst affected LWE districts and adjoining districts in the country, critical from security and communication point of view.  The roads will be operable throughout the year irrespective of all weather conditions.

Under the project, construction/upgradation of  5,411.81 km road and 126 bridges/Cross Drainage works will be taken up at an estimated cost of Rs 11,724.53 crore in the above district.

The fund sharing pattern of LWE road project will be same as that of PMGSY i.e. in the ratio of 60:40 between the Centre and States for all States except for eight North Eastern and three Himalayan States (Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh & Uttarakhand) for which it is 90:10.

Moreover, the Chhattisgarh government has set 2018 deadline to complete construction of an additional 3,000 kms of road network with an investment of USD 2.34 billion.

In Chhattisgarh, Malkangiri district of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, LWE areas of Jharkhand, there is challenge for Prime Minister Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) implementation on account of Left Wing Extremism (LWE). The states of Bihar and West Bengal which also have large connectivity to achieve and therefore, require speedy implementation, the Central Government had informed last year.

The Ministry is constantly following up with all these States to ensure achievement of targets by March 2019. Funds are not a constraint and States have been forthcoming with their State share, it informed.