ADB finances Indian road network
12 July 2012
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is to provide US$ 800 million in financing to India for the development of 9,000 km of rural roads. The infrastructure development will help connect 4,200 communities to markets and services.
The loan is part of a US$ 1.2 billion programme to improve connectivity for villages in the states of Assam, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal by developing all-weather roads by the end of 2017. The Indian government will finance the remainder of the programme.
Since 2000 the Indian government has been working to improve links to the country's rural communities through its Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana programme. The programme has already built 109,000 km of rural roads in the five states, connecting nearly 40,000 communities to bigger transport networks, and it is in the process of constructing 32,000 km more.
The ADB financing will also be used to establish six Rural Road Network Management Units and one Rural Connectivity Training and Research Centre in each state. Their remit will be to improve road planning and maintenance; upgrade road design and safety; and build the skills of engineers, site supervisors, and technicians.
