Fixing link roads: A rethink needed on Punjab’s rural lifelines
The Tribune Editorial: 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.
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.
