Lab to be set up by Bihar Road Research Institute to investigate materials
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is providing a US$295 million loan to upgrade around 265-km state highways with climate and disaster resilient design, and road safety elements in the state of Bihar.
The project supports Bihar Government’s programme to upgrade all state highways to standard two-lane widths and improve road safety, and enhance connectivity in some of state’s poorest rural districts.
“Besides upgrading roads, the ADB project builds on earlier efforts to enhance the state road agency’s management and implementation capacity and will strengthen the systems for planning, road safety, and sustainability,” said Takeo Konishi, Country Director for ADB in India, who signed the loan on behalf of ADB.
Among the Initiatives to strengthen the state road agency, Bihar State Road Development Corporation Limited, will include developing a road asset management system which includes climate change and disaster risk information, establishing research laboratories in the Bihar Road Research Institute to enable investigation of materials, including reusable, and sustainable materials, to alleviate the effects of climate change, conducting studies on congestion management and climate adaptation, and creating guidelines for gender-inclusive practices in road safety measures.
The project will also encourage women’s participation by providing employment to female workers in construction works. Trainings in livelihood as well as awareness on road safety, health, hygiene, abuse and harassment will be offered to women from communities in the project areas.
Since 2008, ADB has provided five loans totaling US$1.63 billion to Bihar for upgradation of about 1,696-km state highways and construction of a new bridge over the Ganga River.
Vumlunmang Vualnam, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, signed on behalf of the Indian Government for the Enhancing Connectivity and Sustainability in Bihar Roads Project. Fiinews.com
