India - Gujarat Rural Roads Project (Credit 1757-IN) : World Bank supervision mission (February 25 - March 01, 1989)

 73084I0 Credit 1757-IN - Gujarat Rural Roads Project World 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 Office visited Gujarat from February 25 through March 1 to supervise this project. 1.2 This Aide Memoire summarizes the mission's findings and discussions with Government of Gujarat (GaG) officials. The conclusions and recommendations recorded here, however, are subject to confirmation by the Bank. 1.3 The mission wishes to record its appreciation of the assistance received from all concerned in GaG, and in particular for the arrangements made for 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) ~as signed on May 12, 1987, and became effective on August 27 of that year. The project provides for: (a) the construction, reconstruction or improvement of about J,040 ~m of village roads in seven districts of Gujarat wher-e the daily industry predominates; (b) the procurement of road construction equipment to facilitate the implementation of (a) above; (c) the construction of offices, workshops, and other project accommodation; (d) technical assistance and engineering services for project management and training; and (e) a Maintenance Planning Study and a road safety program. 3. Civil Works 3.1 The unsatisfactory situations of contract execution and project superVISIon described in the Aide-Memoire of the last highway mission (November 17-22, 1988) has markedly improved. The PWD has obtained from the Irrigation Department a considerable amount of construction equipment suitable for road works, 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, notwithstanding this acquisition, there is still a short-fall in equipment requirements for the  2 contractors such as.motor graders and compaction equipment; this shortfall will be 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 of the formation had not been acquired and that the contractors had either completed or were working on the rehabilitation of the carriageway. With the carriageway works completed resulting in a pavement of much better quality than encountered before on a rural road, the local villagers would consider that they had got what they wanted without giving the land needed to construct the side slopes and drainage needed to complete the road works properly. Consequently, the mission recommends that no contracts be started until the land needed to complete the road as planned and in a proper construction sequence, is available. 3.3 The mission further noted that on some roads, pipe culverts were being installed under low embankments. To obtain sufficient protective cover over the pipe, it was being semi-submerged below surrounding ground level, thus effecti vely halving its hydraulic capacity. In such situations where large cross flows are not anticipated, the mission recommends that a pipe culvert not be installed and instead that a paved drift or depression in the road be built to accommodate the cross flow. 3.4 Th~ sand sub-base layer of the pavement is a source of problems for contractors as, although this layer is stable at the moisture content. of compaction, it is in a dry state when the next pavement layer is placed on it and can then be easily disturbed and lose shape. The mission recommended in the last aide memoire that sand be blended with murram to provide a stable sub-base course 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 longitudinal geometry in tortuous road sections; • (ii) that the taking of borrow material directly adjacent to the edge of the road should be avoided as this practice results in poor drainage and, in some cases, permanently standing water; (iii) that experiments should continue in the placing and spreading of the water-bound macadam base course material, and that the height of the camber boards used to gauge the thickness of this layer should be increased to measure the loose as opposed to the compacted thickness; (iv) that the gradation of the coarse fraction of the WBM should accord with 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 which the contractors are at present working, be removed without delay; and ~ 3 (vi) that the poor quality of masonry work evidenced on some of the culvert 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 for construction/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 completed and reimbursement of 5.774 MSDR has been received. 4. Contract Supervision As far as contract superVISIon is concerned, the sites visited were adequately manned and had the equipment needed for their work as listed in the November aide-memoire. In consequence, the works were being properly set out, the means were available to monitor the moisture context of the material being compacted as well as assuring that the specified degree of compaction is obtained. 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 LCB procurement procedures financed under the project. 5. Land Acquisition 5.1 The issue of the timely acquisition of land was raised by the November 1988 mission, when GOG detailed its arrangements for setting up acquisi tion teams in the three main districts to process all the individual cases. It is clear that availability of land is a present cause of delay, as evidenced on some current reconstruction/improvement works, and GOG is urged to deploy the staff detailed in the November aide-memoire without delay so that the award of contacts is not held up. 6. Buil9ings 6.1 The November mission requested that a program for the construction of needed office/storage space be prepared for each district so that the necessary works can be put in hand by local contractors. This program has not yet been prepared. GOG is requested to review its requirements of office/storage space and prepare a program so that the facilities will be available for the administration of the road works. 7. Staffing 7.1 Although the last mission and earlier missions had stressed the urgency for sanctioning all the field units identified in the appraisal report, GOG's reluctance to mobilise the full staff has been affecting project implementation. Of the new 300 jobs budgeted during FY 88/89, detailed engineering has been completed for 214, but contracts could not be awarded for any of them. Out of the Rs. 170 million funds available during the year (FY 88-89) the expenditure during the first 10 months is barely Rs. 54 million. Many  4 works have not been started. No advance planning has been made to ~~dertake the survey and detailed engineering of the works proposed to be includ'ed in the Fy 89-90 budget. Due to staff shortages project targets are not being met. If cost and time overruns are to be avoided immediate action to sanction the staff originally agreed is necessary. 8. Studies 8.1 The Bar.oda-based consultant, ORG, provided the mission Hith a copy of 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 a management 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 for field staff to interact with. Computerized progress reports for a particular month would be available to project management by the middle of the following month. ORG will continue to operate the system on behalf of GOB for the next few months until any teething problems are eliminated and project staff are fully conversant with its use. 8.2 The short list of consultants proposed by GOB to implement the maintenance planning study provided for under the project was agreed by the Bank and the mission understands that the letter of invitation to submit proposals has been sent to the selected consultants. GaG's evaluation of the proposals, when received, will be reviewed expeditiously by the Bank so that the selected consultant can negotiate a contract with GaG and start work as soon as possible. 9. Training 9.1 The status of training provides for under the project remains the same as reflected in the November aide memoire. The mission reiterates its request that the earlier offer of the Australian Government to undertake field training of selected project enquiries be taken up without delay. The experience these of{icers would gain on the design and construction of low-cost roads would be highly relevant to the project and could result in considerable economies in pavement composition. DEA is urged to give its early approval of these short term (3-4 months) courses in that country so that the fullest advantage may be taken of the practical results. 10. Audit 10.1 The audit of project accounts for Gal's fiscal year 1987/88 has been completed and the auditor's report was given to the mission. New Delhi March 10, 1989  Annex I : GUJARATRURALROADSPROJECT List of Principal Officials Met Messrs. 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 the International Development Association in the amount of 101 million Special Drawing Rights (SDR 10.1. million) in various currencies for implementation of a Rural Roads Project in the State of Gujarat. The State Government of Gujarat hereby invites bids for the supply of Road making machinery and equipment, the ultimate number of which and type is shown below. Delivery will be required in two tranches separated by six months. The tender documents can be obtained on payment in Indian Rupees .1.000 (one thousand) or equivalent US Dollars or UK Pound Sterling by demand draft or Indian postal order payable at any bank/post office at Ahmedabad in favour of the Executive Engineer, Mechanical Division (RB), Ahmedabad, and on submission of written application form: Executive Engineer Mechanical Division Roads & Building Department Government of Gujarat Polytechnic Compound Ahmedabad, 3800.1.5, INDIA Tenders will be received upto August .1.5, 1989, 1300 hours by the Superintending Engineer, Mechanical Circle at the address mentioned above. Item Description of equipment Estimated quantity required in Smooth drum type Vibratory Rollers 10 having 8.5 to 1.1..5 MT operating static weight, with pad foot drum as ancillary equipment; Self propelled pneumatic tyred 10 Rollers 7.5/10 MT capacity; and Motor Graders 120 HP 1~5  Annex 3 Table 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 2220.5 II. Program agreed byGOG cum by end of March 1989 154 565 2124 606 599 920 906.3 1166.8 March 1990 220 883 3492 ,916 885 1692 1490,0 1918,3 March 1991 287 1025 4042' 1031 ~988 2023 1724,7 2220,5 Ill. Progress cumulative by January 31 1989 a) Admin. Approval NA 564 2086 1681 266 139 737.8 b) Tech.Sanction NA 480 1447 446 441 560 NA - c) Ready for bidding i) Total 130 497 1821 1318 267 136 438.2 ii) In progress 69 233 1009 930 258.6 '-- iii) Contracts finalized 61 264 769 366 267 136 179.6 d) Land owned/acquired - 190.6 e) Physical Progress i) Length completed 25.5 ii) Equivalent completion 301 f) Financial Progress i) Expenditure (cumulative) NA 86.8 ii) Budget FY 88-89 NA 170.0 iii) Expr. during FY 88-89 NA 54.1 g) Reimbursement i) Eligble Expr. Rs. M 84.47 ii) Claims lodged: Total up to appl. No. 25 date. February 23, 1989 Rs. M 51.23 iii) Received up to 31 January, 1989 Rs. M 5.77 (MSDR) iv) Present Balance as on 31 January, 1989 Rs. M 95.23 (MSDR) ,. Costs including physical contingencies and price contingencies