WB injects $210-mn in rural roads in MP

India has signed a $ 210 million loan agreement with the World Bank to improve rural connectivity in Madhya Pradesh where the project will cover 10,510 km stretch of rural roads falling under the Chief Minister's Gram Sadak Yojana (CMGSY) program. Of this 10,000 km will be upgraded from existing gravel to bituminous surface roads, while 510 km of new roads will be built to the same bituminous surface standard. In this connection, the Central government, the government of Madhya Pradesh and the World Bank signed a tripartite agreement. The project is expected to improve the durability, resilience and safeties of the travel surfaced rural roads and enhance the capacity of the state to manage its rural roads network, Joint Secretary in the Ministry Sameer Kumar Khare said, adding that the Madhya Pradesh roads project will enhance rural road connectivity in the state and open up opportunities for economic development. Officiating Country Director, World Bank in India, Hisham Abdo, said that the project will leverage resources to support innovations in road construction, improve road safety, and reduce carbon footprint in the transport sector by mainstreaming climate resilient technology in road design and construction.