Not one or two, but as many as 48 roads constructed under the Prime Minister Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) in Arunachal Pradesh have been damaged over the past two years due to recurrent landslides and heavy monsoon rainfall.
Rural Works Department (RWD) Minister Pasang Dorjee Sona blamed the fragile terrain, high rainfall, and geological vulnerability for the destruction of these roads. He said that restoration work has been affected due to the absence of dedicated maintenance funds.
The department has sought Rs 181 crore as gap funding from the state’s finance department to address the shortfall and restore the damaged roads. The House was informed that additional funds would not be released for the maintenance of these roads.
The state should allocate separate funds for these roads and also negotiate with the Centre for enhanced funding meant for road maintenance, as these roads are the lifeline of many villages in the state. If these villages are to remain connected, the roads must be all-weather roads.