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Credit 1757-IN - Gujarat Rural Roads ProjectWorld Bank Supervision Mission

February 25 - March 1, 1989

AIDE-MEMOIRE

1. Introduction

1.1 A World Bank mission comprising Robert Mulligan (Highway Engineer)from headquarters and C.S. Nawathe (Highway Engineer) from the New Delhi Officevisited Gujarat from February 25 through March 1 to supervise this project.

1.2 This Aide Memoire summarizes the mission's findings and discussionswith Government of Gujarat (GaG) officials. The conclusions and recommendationsrecorded here, however, are subject to confirmation by the Bank.

1.3 The mission wishes to record its appreciation of the assistancereceived from all concerned in GaG, and in particular for the arrangements madefor visiting project work sites. A list of officials met is at Annex 1.

2. Background

2.1 Credit 1757 for SDR 101 million (US$ 119.6 million equivalent) ~assigned on May 12, 1987, and became effective on August 27 of that year. Theproject provides for:

(a) the construction, reconstruction or improvement of about J,040 ~mof village roads in seven districts of Gujarat wher-e the dailyindustry predominates;

(b) the procurement of road construction equipment to facilitate theimplementation of (a) above;

(c) the construction of offices, workshops, and other projectaccommodation;

(d) technical assistance and engineering services for project managementand training; and

(e) a Maintenance Planning Study and a road safety program.

3. Civil Works

3.1 The unsatisfactory situations of contract execution and projectsuperVISIon described in the Aide-Memoire of the last highway mission (November17-22, 1988) has markedly improved. The PWD has obtained from the IrrigationDepartment a considerable amount of construction equipment suitable for roadworks, and this has been deployed on a rental basis among the contractors who,on the work sites visited, are putting it to good use. However, notwithstandingthis acquisition, there is still a short-fall in equipment requirements for the

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contractors such as.motor graders and compaction equipment; this shortfall willbe met by international procurement for which advertisements will appear in"Development Forum" andthe local press on April 16, 1989 (Annex 2).

3.2 The mission noted that for several contracts where reconstruction/improvement works were in progress, that the land needed to permit widening ofthe formation had not been acquired and that the contractors had either completedor were working on the rehabilitation of the carriageway. With the carriagewayworks completed resulting in a pavement of much better quality than encounteredbefore on a rural road, the local villagers would consider that they had got whatthey wanted without giving the land needed to construct the side slopes anddrainage needed to complete the road works properly. Consequently, the missionrecommends that no contracts be started until the land needed to complete theroad as planned and in a proper construction sequence, is available.

3.3 The mission further noted that on some roads, pipe culverts werebeing installed under low embankments. To obtain sufficient protective coverover the pipe, it was being semi-submerged below surrounding ground level, thuseffecti vely halving its hydraulic capacity. In such situations where large crossflows are not anticipated, the mission recommends that a pipe culvert not beinstalled and instead that a paved drift or depression in the road be built toaccommodate the cross flow.

3.4 Th~ sand sub-base layer of the pavement is a source of problems forcontractors as, although this layer is stable at the moisture content. ofcompaction, it is in a dry state when the next pavement layer is placed on itand can then be easily disturbed and lose shape. The mission recommended in thelast aide memoire that sand be blended with murram to provide a stable sub-basecourse and recommends this suggestion be adopted.

3.5 Other matters on which the mission commented were:

(i) the need for minor adjustments to alignments to improve longitudinalgeometry in tortuous road sections;

•(ii) that the taking of borrow material directly adjacent to the edge ofthe road should be avoided as this practice results in poor drainageand, in some cases, permanently standing water;

(iii) that experiments should continue in the placing and spreading of thewater-bound macadam base course material, and that the height of thecamber boards used to gauge the thickness of this layer should beincreased to measure the loose as opposed to the compacted thickness;

(iv) that the gradation of the coarse fraction of the WBM should accordwith the MOST specification detailed in para 404.2.5 (Grading No.2) j

(v) that the trees standing in some of the road lines and around whichthe contractors are at present working, be removed without delay;and

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(vi) that the poor quality of masonry work evidenced on some of theculvert head walls not be accepted for payment until rectified.

Progress

3.6 Annex 3 shows project status for the period ending January 31, 1989.In brief, of the 1025 road jobs totalling 4042 kms covered under the project forconstruction/reconstruction/improvement and estimated to cost Rs. 1725 million,61 contracts comprising 264 jobs (769 km) have been finalised at a cost of Rs.180 million. Bidd~ng 69 packages comprising 233 jobs (1009 km) is under way.Upto January 31, 1989 work to the value of Rs. 86.8 million had been completedand reimbursement of 5.774 MSDR has been received.

4. Contract Supervision

As far as contract superVISIon is concerned, the sites visited wereadequately manned and had the equipment needed for their work as listed in theNovember aide-memoire. In consequence, the works were being properly set out,the means were available to monitor the moisture context of the material beingcompacted as well as assuring that the specified degree of compaction isobtained. All the transport needed for site staff has not yet been obtained,but the mission was assured that these needs would be met shortly through LCBprocurement procedures financed under the project.

5. Land Acquisition

5.1 The issue of the timely acquisition of land was raised by theNovember 1988 mission, when GOG detailed its arrangements for setting upacquisition teams in the three main districts to process all the individualcases. It is clear that availability of land is a present cause of delay, asevidenced on some current reconstruction/improvement works, and GOG is urged todeploy the staff detailed in the November aide-memoire without delay so that theaward of contacts is not held up.

6. Buil9ings

6.1 The November mission requested that a program for the constructionof needed office/storage space be prepared for each district so that thenecessary works can be put in hand by local contractors. This program has notyet been prepared. GOG is requested to review its requirements of office/storagespace and prepare a program so that the facilities will be available for theadministration of the road works.

7. Staffing

7.1 Although the last mission and earlier missions had stressed theurgency for sanctioning all the field units identified in the appraisal report,GOG's reluctance to mobilise the full staff has been affecting projectimplementation. Of the new 300 jobs budgeted during FY 88/89, detailedengineering has been completed for 214, but contracts could not be awarded forany of them. Out of the Rs. 170 million funds available during the year (FY88-89) the expenditure during the first 10 months is barely Rs. 54 million. Many

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works have not been started. No advance planning has been made to ~~dertake thesurvey and detailed engineering of the works proposed to be includ'ed in the Fy89-90 budget. Due to staff shortages project targets are not being met. If costand time overruns are to be avoided immediate action to sanction the stafforiginally agreed is necessary.

8. Studies

8.1 The Bar.oda-based consultant, ORG, provided the mission Hith a copyof the February output of its computerized system for monitoring of the project.The mission made a few minor suggestions which would enhance its use as amanagement tool for GOB and as a basis for GOB's project reporting to the Bank,but otherwise the system proposed appeared suitable for the purpose and easy forfield staff to interact with. Computerized progress reports for a particularmonth would be available to project management by the middle of the followingmonth. ORG will continue to operate the system on behalf of GOB for the nextfew months until any teething problems are eliminated and project staff are fullyconversant with its use.

8.2 The short list of consultants proposed by GOB to implement themaintenance planning study provided for under the project was agreed by the Bankand the mission understands that the letter of invitation to submit proposalshas been sent to the selected consultants. GaG's evaluation of the proposals,when received, will be reviewed expeditiously by the Bank so that the selectedconsultant can negotiate a contract with GaG and start work as soon as possible.

9. Training9.1 The status of training provides for under the project remains thesame as reflected in the November aide memoire. The mission reiterates itsrequest that the earlier offer of the Australian Government to undertake fieldtraining of selected project enquiries be taken up without delay. The experiencethese of{icers would gain on the design and construction of low-cost roads wouldbe highly relevant to the project and could result in considerable economies inpavement composition. DEA is urged to give its early approval of these shortterm (3-4 months) courses in that country so that the fullest advantage may betaken of the practical results.

10. Audit

10.1 The audit of project accounts for Gal's fiscal year 1987/88 has beencompleted and the auditor's report was given to the mission.

New DelhiMarch 10, 1989

:

Messrs.

Annex I

GUJARATRURALROADSPROJECT

List of Principal Officials Met

V.P. Kamdar, Secretary, R&B Department

A.T. Doshi, Special Secretary and CE Roads

A.J. Vyas, Chief Engineer, Rural Roads Project

M.M. Patel, SE, RRP Circle, Gandhinagar/Palanpur

Y.N. Shahiwala, SE, RRP Circle, Rajkot

H.B. Patel, OSD, World Bank Cell

V.V. Pandya, SE Mechanical, OSD.V.A. Patel, SE Mechanical, Field

A.C. Patel, US, RRP

H.M. Panchal, US, RRP

C .M. Mathew, EE, RRP, Gandhinagar

C.K. Kothari, EE, RRP, Himmatnagar

(4NNEX 2

INDIfl

Cn;:~d.i.t.1.757-IN

(Draft Advertisement in the Development forum)

ICB Tenders for the Supply of Road Making Machinery & Equipment

India has received a Development Credit (.1.757-IN) from theInternational Development Association in the amount of 101 millionSpecial Drawing Rights (SDR 10.1. million) in various currencies forimplementation of a Rural Roads Project in the State of Gujarat.

The State Government of Gujarat hereby invites bids for thesupply of Road making machinery and equipment, the ultimate number ofwhich and type is shown below. Delivery will be required in two tranchesseparated by six months. The tender documents can be obtained on paymentin Indian Rupees .1.000 (one thousand) or equivalent US Dollars or UK PoundSterling by demand draft or Indian postal order payable at any bank/postoffice at Ahmedabad in favour of the Executive Engineer, MechanicalDivision (RB), Ahmedabad, and on submission of written application form:

Executive EngineerMechanical DivisionRoads & Building DepartmentGovernment of GujaratPolytechnic CompoundAhmedabad, 3800.1.5, INDIA

Tenders will be received upto August .1.5, 1989, 1300 hours by theSuperintending Engineer, Mechanical Circle at the address mentionedabove.

Item Description of equipment Estimatedquantity required

in Smooth drum type Vibratory Rollershaving 8.5 to 1.1..5 MT operatingstatic weight, with pad footdrum as ancillary equipment;

10

Self propelled pneumatic tyredRollers 7.5/10 MT capacity; and

10

Motor Graders 120 HP 1~5

Annex 3Table I

~INDIA

GUJARAT RURAL ROADS PROJECT (CR 1757-IN)PROGRESS REPORT FOR TIlE PERIOD ENDING

JANUARY 31. 1989

Packages Jobs Length Length (Category-wise in km) Cost" (Rs. M)

No. No. km NC RC Imp. Civil Works Project

I. SAR Estimate 287 1025 4042 1031 938 2023 1724.7 2220.5II. Program agreed

byGOGcum by end ofMarch 1989 154 565 2124 606 599 920 906.3 1166.8March 1990 220 883 3492 ,916 885 1692 1490,0 1918,3March 1991 287 1025 4042' 1031 ~988 2023 1724,7 2220,5

Ill. Progress cumulativeby January 31 1989a) Admin. Approval NA 564 2086 1681 266 139 737.8b) Tech.Sanction NA 480 1447 446 441 560 NA -

c) Ready for biddingi) Total 130 497 1821 1318 267 136 438.2ii) In progress 69 233 1009 930 258.6

'-- iii) Contractsfinalized 61 264 769 366 267 136 179.6

d) Land owned/acquired - 190.6e) Physical Progress

i) Length completed 25.5ii) Equivalent

completion 301f) Financial Progress

i) Expenditure (cumulative) NA 86.8ii) Budget FY 88-89 NA 170.0iii) Expr. during FY 88-89 NA 54.1

g) Reimbursementi) Eligble Expr. Rs. M 84.47

ii) Claims lodged: Total up to appl. No. 25

iii) Received up to 31 January, 1989iv) Present Balance as on 31 January, 1989

date. February 23, 1989 Rs. M 51.23Rs. M 5.77 (MSDR)Rs. M 95.23 (MSDR)

,.Costs including physical contingencies and price contingencies