constructed under all these schemes. However, all this laudable effort was not enough to achieve full connectivity of villages even after fifty years of Independence. Moreover, the specifications adopted for these roads were probably good enough or the traditional rural traffic consisting mainly of animal drawn carts and pedestrians, However, with the advent of fast and heavy pneumatic tyred vehicles coupled with absence of adequate maintenance caused fast deterioration of these roads, some times to a stage were the roads become unpassable.

A nation’s socio-economic cultural growth rate is mainly dependent on its speedy, safe, economic, comfortable and efficient transport system and in particular road transport system which facilities door service. India has about 5.89 lakh villages of various population sizes, inhabitated by about 75 percent of its populations, scattered all over its 3.29 million square kilometer area. But, absence of a well knit road network has caused lack of basic facilities such as education, medical assistance, banking, recreational, employment potentiality, inward transport of agriculture inputs and consumer goods, outward transportation of agriculture and forestry products, live stocks and their products in and/or around most of the villages,

thereby dragging a large section of country’s rural population including tribal below the property line and keeping them away from the main stream of national development.

As a sequel it has resulted in large scale exodus of rural population to towns, cities etc., with consequential socio-stresses and law and order problems in the urban areas. In order to obviate this situation the Government of India has embarked on several programmes like Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP). However, for achieving their objectives, village roads are a must, because they are the only economical transport means to the villages situated in far away remote areas and difficult terrains.

Due to lack of rural road connectivity lakhs of Indian villages and crores of villagers are suffering tragic isolation and prolonged deprivation. Lack of accessibility deprives them of the chance of sustainability and development. Some of the eloquent symptoms of such deprivation are enlisted below which are merely illustrative and by no means exhaustive.

• Daily 300 pregnant women die, as they cannot reach the healthcare centers in time from their villages.
• Lakhs of rural children cannot reach the schools during rainy reason.
• Perishable agricultural produce cannot reach the markets in time leading to heavy losses to the farmers.