OREANDA-NEWS. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a project loan of $300 million to upgrade over 400 kilometers (km) of major district roads in Uttar Pradesh with improved maintenance, and to strengthen road safety on the major district roads forming part of the core road network in the state. The project supports the state government’s core road network improvement master plan, under which the government plans to improve roads through a combination of state, private and multilateral resources.

“Major district roads provide key links between rural roads and state highways, and connect peri-urban and urban areas, so improving them is essential to give more communities better access to markets and basic social services,” said Ravi Venkat Peri, Principal Transport Specialist in ADB’s South Asia Department. “Along with the physical upgrades and maintenance components, the project will conduct a road safety analysis of the district roads in the core road network, and implement remedial measures at identified trouble spots, to reduce the rate of accidents.”

Uttar Pradesh is India’s most populous state and has the largest rural population, along with widely dispersed industrial centers, making its total road network of around 300,000 km crucial for its economy and development. However significant sections of the roads have inadequate widths and poor surfacing, increasing economic costs and also making them vulnerable to bottlenecks and hazards. In addition, Uttar Pradesh has a challenging record on road safety for accidents and fatalities, which has promoted the Government of Uttar Pradesh to establish a new policy for road safety in 2014.

The loan, which is ADB’s first road sector assistance in Uttar Pradesh, will be used to improve around 430 km of major district roads, upgrading them to standard design widths, suitable for use in all weather and with safety features, including widened and strengthened culverts and bridges. A key element of the project is the inclusion of 5-year performance-based maintenance contracts to ensure ongoing high-standard upkeep of the roads.

Along with ADB’s loan, the Government of Uttar Pradesh will provide counterpart support of $128 million. The project will run for almost five years with an expected completion date of end-March 2021.

ADB, based in Manila, is dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration. Established in 1966, it is owned by 67 members – 48 from the region.