**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to Starred Question No. 59 in Lok Sabha, answered on March 2, 2026, regarding the Korangotta Island Bridge project in Kerala under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). The Minister of Rural Development addresses the proposal for the bridge's construction. PMGSY-IV, launched on September 11, 2024, aims to connect 25,000 eligible habitations by March 2029.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **PMGSY-IV Initiative:**
* Launched on September 11, 2024, to construct 62,500 km of roads.
* Aims to connect 25,000 eligible habitations by March 2029.
* Eligibility determined by the 2011 Census population norms.
* **Korangotta Island Bridge Proposal:**
* The State of Kerala submitted data for Korangotta habitation.
* GIS mapping confirmed Korangotta habitation is already served by an existing all-weather road.
* The proposal for the inclusion of Korangotta habitation under PMGSY-IV has not been considered because the habitation is already connected.
* **'Rural Roads' and PMGSY Scope:**
* 'Rural Roads' is a State subject.
* PMGSY was launched in December 2000 as a special intervention.
* The mandate is to provide single all-weather road connectivity to eligible unconnected habitations.
* The program has expanded through initiatives like RCPLWEA, PMGSY-III, and PM-JANMAN.
* **Bridge Construction Under PMGSY:**
* Bridge construction is allowed only on roads approved under the program.
* Proposals for Long Span Bridges (LSBs) up to 150m (normal) or 200m (special) are covered.
* Only LSBs on approved road alignments are sanctioned; standalone bridges are not covered.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Shri Hibi Eden (Questioner)**
* **Impact**: Receives information regarding the status of the Korangotta Island Bridge proposal under PMGSY.
* **Action Required**: No action required beyond reviewing the provided information.
**Stakeholder: Government of Kerala**
* **Impact**: Informed that the Korangotta Island Bridge proposal was not considered under PMGSY-IV because the habitation is already connected by an all-weather road.
* **Action Required**: Can explore funding the project through other state or central schemes or alternative initiatives.
**Stakeholder: Residents of Korangotta Island and Cheranalloor Gram Panchayat**
* **Impact**: The proposed bridge connecting Korangotta Island to the mainland via Cheranalloor Gram Panchayat will not be funded under the PMGSY-IV program due to existing all-weather connectivity.
* **Action Required**: May need to pursue alternative avenues for funding or advocacy to support the bridge project.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Rural Development: The ministry responsible for implementing the PMGSY scheme.
Korangotta Island Bridge: The proposed bridge project in Kerala, the subject of the parliamentary question regarding its inclusion under the PMGSY scheme.
Kerala: The state where Korangotta Island is located, and where the proposed bridge would be constructed.
PMGSY-IV: The latest phase of the PMGSY scheme, launched in 2024, aimed at addressing connectivity gaps due to population growth.
Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY): A Central Government scheme to provide all-weather road connectivity to eligible unconnected habitations in rural areas.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 59
ANSWERED ON 03/02/2026
KORANGOTTA ISLAND BRIDGE UNDER PMGSY IN KERALA
*59. Shri Hibi Eden:
Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:
(a) whether any proposal for the construction of Korangotta Island
Bridge, Ernakulam, Kerala has been received by the
Government for consideration under the Pradhan Mantri Gram
SadakYojana (PMGSY);
(b) if so, whether the Government has included the Korangotta
Island Bridge project under PMGSY, if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government is aware of the long-standing demand
for the construction of a bridge connecting Korangotta Island
in Cheranalloor Gram Panchayat to the mainland;
(d) whether any timeline has been fixed for the approval and
execution of the Korangotta Island Bridge project and if not,
the reasons for the delay despite repeated representations;
(e) whether the Government has taken any steps in line with the
objectives of inclusive rural development; and
(f) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI SHIVRAJ SINGH CHOUHAN)
(a) to (f): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
Page 1 of 3STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (f) OF LOK
SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *59 TO BE ANSWERED ON
03.02.2026REGARDING “KORANGOTTA ISLAND BRIDGE UNDER
PMGSY IN KERALA”
(a) to (d): To address connectivity gaps arising from population
growth since the programme's inception, the Government of India
launched PMGSY-IV on September 11, 2024. This phase aims to
construct 62,500 km of roads to connect 25,000 eligible habitations
by March 2029. As per the programme guidelines, eligibility is
strictly determined based on the 2011 Census population norms. A
fundamental prerequisite for coverage under PMGSY-IV is that the
habitation must be currently unconnected; any habitation already
served by an all-weather road is ineligible for new connectivity
under this phase.
The State of Kerala submitted data for Korangotta habitation
in the Edappally Block of Ernakulam District. This data was
captured via the Gram Sadak Survey App, a GIS-based digital
platform specifically developed to ensure transparent and accurate
field mapping of rural connectivity. The proposal underwent a
rigorous verification process by the National Rural Infrastructure
Development Agency (NRIDA), the technical arm of the Ministry of
Rural Development. GIS mapping confirmed that Korangotta
habitation is already served by an existing all-weather road. Since
the primary objective of PMGSY-IV is to provide "first-time" all-
weather connectivity to unconnected settlements, Korangotta
habitation does not meet the essential eligibility
criteria. Consequently, the proposal for the inclusion of Korangotta
habitation under PMGSY-IV has not been considered.
(e) &(f): While 'Rural Roads' is a State subject, the Pradhan Mantri
Gram SadakYojana (PMGSY) was launched in December 2000 as a
one-time special intervention by the Central Government. Its
primary mandate is to provide single all-weather road connectivity
to eligible unconnected habitations of a designated population size.
Over the years, the program’s scope has expanded through several
specialized verticals, including PMGSY-II, the Road Connectivity
Project for Left Wing Extremism Affected Areas (RCPLWEA), PMGSY-
III, and the Pradhan Mantri Jan JatiAdivasiNyayaMahaAbhiyan (PM-
JANMAN).
Page 2 of 3Further to address the connectivity gaps arising from
population growth since the programme's inception, the
Government launched PMGSY-IV on September 11, 2024. This phase
aims to construct 62,500 km of roads to connect 25,000 eligible
habitations by March 2029. Eligibility is determined based on the
2011 Census.
The construction of Culverts/Causeways and Bridges is
allowed only on the roads approved under this programme. The
proposal for Long Span Bridges (LSBs) (maximum length of 150 m in
normal areas and 200 m in special areas) are covered under this
programme. Only those Long Span Bridges are sanctioned which fall
on the alignment of the roads sanctioned under the scheme.
Sanction of standalone bridges is not covered under the scheme.
*****
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