Rural Roads to Be Spruced Up in PPP Mode for First Time, Rs 12,000 Cr to Be Spent on 17,300-km Roads

 Hyderabad: The state government is set to embark on an extensive project to upgrade roads to enhance rural connectivity that will, for the first time in the state, use the public-private partnership (PPP) model to bring private sector investment into the development of roads managed by the panchayat raj department.

The government has allocated Rs 12,000 crore for the project, which aims to spruce up 17,300 km of rural roads over the next four years.

The plan aims to link all villages with bituminous (BT) roads to the mandal headquarters. Currently, of the PR department’s 68,539-km network, nearly half are still dirt pathways. The plan includes upgrading existing dirt and WBM (water bound macadam) roads to withstand the demand of heavier vehicles, which has increased from 10 metric tonnes (MT) to 30 MT capacity over the years.

The target for this year is 5,000 km of roads, 4,000 km in 2025-26, 5,000 km in 2026-27 and 3,300 km in 2027-28.

The state has opted for the PPP model to fund the project as well as ensure road quality through sustained maintenance. Following construction, private sector partners will maintain the roads for ten years, sources added.

The need for the project was felt after the recent heavy rain and floods severely damaged rural roads.