Why are the rural roads' density very low in hilly, plateau and forested areas? why does the quality of rural roads deteriorate away from the urban centres?
Answers
A major constraint with developing and maintaining rural roads is the fact that they are, unfortunately, rural. The areas where they are needed are often difficult to access, logistics become complicated, local contracting capability is limited, engineers are few and far between, and younger engineers especially, are not keen to leave the urban environment.
The rural environment is often the growth engine of a country, the food supply and the rural population are custodians of the environment and ecosystems. Planners of rural development need to be experts in the complexities of these interconnecting priorities and need to know how the road provision fits into the larger goals of rural development, and the priorities for economic and social growth.