Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami recently announced that the double-engine government has been actively working to connect the small settlements of the state with roads. According to a CMO statement, the work is a part of Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana. Meanwhile, he also noted that the department has done commendable work in the recently concluded financial year.
CM Dhami further stated that the government will work to connect the remaining settlements with the Barahmasi road in the 4th phase. Under PMGSY, 814 km of roads were already constructed last year. In light of Uttarakhand’s progress, the Government of India has also released the budget for the construction of 9 bridges, which were given a green signal in the third phase of the scheme.
As per the statement, PMGSY in the state of Uttarakhand spent about Rs 933 crore in the financial year 2024-25 against the financial targets of Rs 900 crore, which is Rs 133 crore more than the expenditure made in the last year, 2023-24. Similarly, in physical achievement, 814 km of roads were constructed in the financial year 2024-25, which is 206 km more than the achievement of the year 2023-24.
Meanwhile, on the last day of the last financial year, the Government of India approved Rs 40.77 crore for the construction of 09 bridges under PMGSY-3. CM said the department has identified 1490 roadless settlements under PMGSY-4 and completed the survey of construction of about 8500 km of roads in the first phase and started work on DPR. In addition to the instructions issued from time to time to ensure quality in the works, the department has prepared a special inspection app.
Inspections done by field officers are regularly recorded through the app, making it easier for higher officials to monitor the quality of roads. This initiative has also been appreciated at the Government of India level, and other states have been asked to adopt it. The Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana was started by the Central Government in the year 2000 for roadless villages. In the first three phases of the scheme, the work of connecting villages with a minimum population of 500 with roads has almost been completed.
