State constructs 288 km road in 4 months

Kolkata: The state Panchayat and Rural Development department has constructed 288 km road under Banglar Gramin Sadak Yojana (BGSY) in the first four months of the 2020-21 financial year despite lockdown.

Major part of this work has been carried out in just two and half months time after relaxations were given to start construction work on May 4 in the lockdown period.

The Mamata Banerjee government had imposed lockdown with an approach of "life and livelihood" at a time. In a bid to do so, the state government had given clearances to carry out construction outside containment zones mainly in the rural parts of the state following the norms of physical distancing. It has also helped in rejuvenating the rural economy.

A senior official of the state Panchayat and Rural Development department said 2000 km of roads will be constructed under the BGSY in 2020-21 fiscal. It include around 300 km of complete new roads. So far the state government has

constructed 34,000 km rural roads under the scheme for which the state government bears almost 50 percent of the project cost.

"Till date we have constructed 288 km road under BGSY," said the official, adding that the work was carried out following all the lockdown norms.

All steps were taken to ensure safety of the employees in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak. Preference was given to carry out work in non-containment zones.

Besides constructing new roads, the authorities have taken all necessary moves to avert damage to the already constructed 34,000 km rural road as it has been recently noticed that plying of heavy vehicles damaging the same. Moves have already been taken to set up sign boards at all entry and exit points of these roads specifying the vehicles that are not allowed to ply on these thoroughfares.