**Executive Summary**
This document contains the response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1778 regarding the revision of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) guidelines, answered on February 10, 2026. It addresses concerns about road safety, road width, and accident rates related to PMGSY roads. The response outlines the criteria for determining road width and the steps being taken to improve road safety.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Road Width Determination:**
* Carriageway width is decided based on projected traffic (Passenger Car Unit/PCU), existing width, and land availability.
* Roads can be widened to 3.75 m or 5.5 m depending on traffic and site-specific factors.
* Works are sanctioned based on Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) submitted by State Governments.
* DPRs consider traffic volume to finalize road width.
* Recommended road width according to PCU values:
* Up to 2,000 PCU: 3.75 meters
* Up to 6,000 PCU: 5.5 meters (Intermediate)
* Up to 15,000 PCU: 7.5 meters (Double Lane)
* **Road Safety Measures:**
* A Rural Road Safety Manual was prepared by NRIDA with support from the Asian Development Bank and circulated to all State Rural Road Development Agencies (SRRDAs).
* The Manual provides guidance on road design, audit checklists, community awareness, and training modules.
* States must undertake design stage audits for PMGSY roads longer than 5 km, per Supreme Court Committee directives.
* States are advised to audit existing roads and those under construction for safety.
* Roads under PMGSY-IV must comply with manuals on road signs, pavement markings, crash barriers, and safety in construction zones.
* Programme Implementation Units (PIUs) are instructed to engage with local communities at the 'transect walk' stage to identify hazards.
* **Accident Data:**
* Rural roads are a State subject, and the Ministry does not maintain accident data.
* Telangana identifies black-spots, but no black-spots are reported on PMGSY roads in Nalgonda.
* **Construction and Maintenance:**
* Roads are constructed as per Ministry of Rural Development's specifications and Indian Road Congress (IRC) standards.
* Works are sanctioned by the Ministry based on DPRs submitted and implemented by State Governments.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: State Governments**
* **Impact:** Responsible for submitting DPRs, implementing road construction and maintenance, identifying black-spots and conducting audits.
* **Action Required:** Submit DPRs, implement road construction based on guidelines, audit roads for safety, construct safer rural roads by complying with safety manuals, and engage with local communities.
**Stakeholder: Programme Implementation Units (PIUs)**
* **Impact:** Responsible for engaging with local communities to identify potential road hazards and rectify them.
* **Action Required:** Engage with local communities at the ‘transect walk’ stage to identify hazards, local black-spots and possible rectification measures.
**Stakeholder: National Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (NRIDA)**
* **Impact:** Responsible for preparing and circulating the Road Safety Manual.
* **Action Required:** No further actions mentioned.
**Stakeholder: General Public/Road Users**
* **Impact:** Potentially benefit from improved road safety measures, reduced accidents, and better road design.
* **Action Required:** No actions required.
Key Entities Referenced
Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY): A rural road construction program, crucial for rural infrastructure development.
Ministry of Rural Development: The primary ministry overseeing the implementation and guidelines of the PMGSY scheme.
Indian Road Congress (IRC): Sets specifications and standards for rural roads, providing technical guidelines for PMGSY.
NalgondaLokSabha Constituency: A specific geographic area mentioned in the context of road construction and safety concerns under PMGSY.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1778
ANSWERED ON 10/02/2026
REVISION OF PMGSY GUIDELINES
1778. Shri KunduruRaghuveer:
Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENTbe pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government is aware that roads constructed
under the Pradhan Mantri GramSadakYojana (PMGSY),
including in the NalgondaLokSabha Constituency are often
limited to5.5 meter intermediate lanes, which pose serious
safety hazards and contribute to frequent roadaccidents;
(b) the number of accidents reported, both fatal and non-fatal
during the last five years onPMGSY roads in Nalgonda and
across the country due to narrow road width, State-wise;
(c) whether the Government proposes to revise PMGSY guidelines
to permit double-lane (7-meter wide) roads in high-traffic or
accident-prone rural areas;
(d) the present criteria for determining road width under PMGSY;
(e) whether traffic volume and accident data are considered, if so,
the details thereof; and
(f) the steps being taken to improve road safety, including
widening existing roads and addingsignage, lighting and safety
features?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI KAMLESH PASWAN)
(a) & (b): As per guidelines of the Pradhan Mantri Gram
SadakYojana (PMGSY), Indian Road Congress (IRC) specifications
and provisions in Rural Road Manual, carriageway width of roads
including the roads in NalgondaLokSabha Constituency, is decided
based on the projected traffic in terms of Passenger Car Unit (PCU)
per day plying on the roads, existing carriageway width, land
availability, etc. The carriageway may be widened to 3.75 m or 5.5
m depending upon the traffic (PCU/ day) plying on the roads and
other site-specific factors as assessed and proposed by the State
Page 1 of 3Government while sending the Detailed Project Report. The works
under the scheme are sanctioned by the Ministry based on the
Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) submitted by the respective State
Governments and implemented by the State Governments.
Rural Roads is a State subject and roads under PMGSY are
constructed and maintained by the states. The Ministry does not
maintain the data of road accidents. However, the State has
reported that Director General of Police, Telangana identifies black-
spots (high-accident zones) on all roads and reported that
currently there are no black-spots on PMGSY roads in Nalgonda.
(c) to (e): Rural roads under PMGSY are constructed and
maintained as per the technical specifications and geometric
design standards given in the Ministry of Rural Development’s
Specifications for Rural Roads, Rural Roads Manual of the Indian
Roads Congress (IRC) (IRC-SP:20) and also, where required, the Hill
Road Manual (IRC:SP:48) and other relevant IRC Codes & Manuals.
The works under the scheme are sanctioned by the Ministry based
on the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) submitted by the respective
State Governments and implemented by the State Governments.
The DPRs take into account the traffic volume in terms of PCU
values which is a deciding factor in finalization of the road width.
The recommended length in IRC: SP: 20 manuals for Rural Roads is
3.75m and IRC SP 64 1990 manual recommended for Plain Low
Curvature areas the following PCU values:
PCU value Recommended road width
Up to 2,000 3.75 meter
Up to 6,000 5.5 meter (Intermediate)
Up to 15,000 7.5 meter (Double Lane)
(f): Road safety is a multi-disciplinary activity. With the support of
Asian Development Bank, a Rural Road Safety Manual has been
prepared by the National Rural Infrastructure Development Agency
(NRIDA), a technical arm of this Ministry, and have been circulated
to all State Rural Road Development Agencies (SRRDAs) to
construct safer rural roads. The Manual covers guidance on safer
road design, road safety audit checklists, community awareness
and education. Suggestive training modules for PIUs, consultants
and other stakeholders have also been given.
Page 2 of 3Besides, adequate provisions have been made in the
programme guidelines of PMGSY III, of which States are required to
follow while preparing the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) of the
road works to be sanctioned under the scheme. Safety aspects have
to be integral part of road design during the preparation of DPR. At
the 'transect walk' stage itself, the Programme Implementation
Units (PIUs) need to engage with the local communities to identify
hazards, local black-spots and possible rectification measures.
Further, the States are required to undertake the design stage
audit of all PMGSY roads of more than 5 km length in the light of the
directions issued by the Hon'ble Supreme Court Committee on Road
Safety. States have also been advised that all rural roads, of more
than 5 KM length, on which the work is yet to start or is in progress,
be audited for safety. Existing rural roads in operation were also to
be audited/inspected for undertaking remedial measures/retrofitting.
The Rural Roads constructed under PMGSY-IV shall be in
compliance of Manuals relating to Road Signs, Pavement Markings,
Crash Barriers, Safety in construction zones and so on.
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