A Review of Highway Agencies in the South Asia Region

A Review of Highway Agencies in the South Asia Region
Box 2.2: Road User Involvement in Karnataka
Figure 2.18: Reforms implemented by highway agencies in past five years
RIS/RMMS has been setup
Computerization has taken place
There is a HR/Training strategy
Using a set procurement strategy and/or
standard bid documents
There is a Financial Management Strategy
A Road Corporation/Board has been
established
Successful reforms across the region are often replicated. For example, in Pakistan and
Sri Lanka, there are now highway authorities in charge of extending and maintaining
the network. In the Indian states, RDCs (or Boards) have been established with a similar
objective, as well as to attract private financing. The explosion of the use of PPP, particularly
in India, is clearly a success. Some examples of successful reforms are cited in Boxes 2.2-2.7.
Karnataka has undertaken promising steps in involving users in its decision-making process. Although the initiatives
have been implemented, the outcomes and results are not known. As such, it can be stated that there has been a
start, but significant room for improvement exists.
The Government of Karnataka constituted the Karnataka Road Users’ Board in 2002. The Board consists of
representatives of the public and private sectors and meets under the chairmanship of the Minister for Public
Works. The Board will contribute to policy-making. Further outcomes of the Board have not been reported;
Karnataka’s PWD commenced organizing the Annual Road Users’ Stakeholders Forum to bring together the
various stakeholders in the road sector. Three such well-attended forums have been held between 2003 and
2007. Detailed proceedings of these forums have not been reported, and the results and outcomes are
therefore not known; and
In the Project Agreement between the Karnataka State Highways Improvement Project and the World Bank, it
is agreed that the Government of Karnataka shall conduct at least three road user surveys to assess road user
satisfaction with the PWD’s performance in maintaining and operating the road network and compare the
results of subsequent surveys. Apart from these three surveys, no additional surveys have been conducted
independently of the World Bank.
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Website launched
Compliant with Right to Information Act
A Road Fund has been established
Budget tracking studies are undertaken
There are procedures for grievance redressal
Undertakes PPP initiatives
Other reforms have taken place
0%
30%
30%
40%
50%
50%
60%
70%
70%
70%
70%
80%
80%