Fixing link roads: A rethink needed on Punjab’s rural lifelines

PUNJAB Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s recent plan to repair nearly 19,500 km of link roads at a cost of Rs 3,425 crore marks one of the most ambitious infrastructure drives. These roads are the arteries of the state’s agrarian economy. They carry grain to mandis, link villages to markets, schools and hospitals and sustain rural livelihoods. Yet, their chronic neglect has long been a silent factor behind farm distress and rural economic stagnation. The government’s decision to form a “flying squad” of senior officials from the PWD and Mandi Board to monitor the quality of work is a welcome step. Poor quality construction, unchecked sub-contracting and weak accountability have often meant that freshly built roads deteriorate within a season. A dedicated monitoring team could introduce the much-needed oversight, but its effectiveness will depend on transparency. Regular public reporting, third-party audits and citizen feedback should be built into the process.

At the same time, repairing link roads should not be viewed merely as a physical upgrade. It offers an opportunity to rethink rural connectivity itself. Many link roads have outlived their design capacity amid heavier tractor-trailers and rising village traffic. Engineering standards, drainage systems and materials need revision to reflect new realities, road safety and climate resilience, given the accidents rate and recurring monsoon damage.

The larger goal should be to align road repair with rural transformation. They must not just connect farms to mandis but also villages to skill centres, health services and new non-farm opportunities. Periodic maintenance must be institutionalised through sustained funding and local monitoring. The roads are important lifelines and essential to uplift rural economy. This initiative can rebuild confidence in public works, improve market efficiency and reaffirm the state’s commitment to its rural backbone.