Burma Development 1953 Vol1 Part11.pdf - Nathan Associates

TABLE XVI - 26SUMMARY OF LOCAL IMPROVEMENTSON DISTRICT AND SECONDARY ROADS*Cities and TownsOver 10.000Towns and Vil¬lages under10.000No. Com¬munities29125On Distr.andSecondaryRoadsMileage to be Improved44108On LocalStreets2637HIGHWAYS 461Total* In addition to the 34 towns and viUages with populations under10,000. as listed in Table XVI-25, there are other towns and villagesof this size for which it is not possible at the present time to make anaccurate estimate of the necessary local road and street improve¬ment needs. As the general program develops, and as detailed sur¬veys and planning get under way throughout the Union, it will bepossible to extend the local improvement program to include workin each of these communities.These smaller communities for which plans and estimates have notbeen prepared at present have populations from 10,000 down to1,000. The total mmiber of these is 90, of which 50 have a populationof 3,000 or less.It is estimated that for the 90 towns and villages 76 miles of districtand secondary roads and 27 miles of town streets should be improved.of the Union highway system. The principal functionof the Department is that of constructing and main¬taining buUdings and the major portion of the bud¬get for the past several years has been devoted tothese activities. Roads have received approximately10% of the budget and comparatively httle attentionfrom the Department. As a result no significantrehabUitation program has been undertaken orplanned, and maintenance forces are not organizedor equipped to cope with the rapid deterioration.During the next three decades a major reconstructionof the highway system must be carried out, and theproportions of the task wiU require the fuU attentionof a weU-staffed organization. It is recommended thata new Department of Roads be set up in the Ministryof PubUc Works or in the proposed new Ministry ofEngineering Services and that the existing organiza¬tion continue as the Department of BuUdings. It isfurther recommended that this Department of Roadsbe staffed and equipped for actively pursuing a recon¬struction program along the Unes previously outhnedin this chapter.2. EQUIPMENT PROCUREMENTThe task of reconstruction ahead of the Depart¬ment of Roads cannot be carried out expeditiously,if at aU, by the traditional practices now being used70145in the hmited road-work activities of the Department.The program ahead must be performed using suffi¬cient road equipment to permit progress in highwayrehabihtation, construction and maintenance to keeppace with the needs of the country. This equipmentshould not be procured prior to a thorough analysisof the needs of the rehabilitation program and theadoption of a schedule of progress.After this has been done the equipment should beprocured to fit the projects included in the plan and tocarry out the work at the rates of progress adopted.Careful planning is necessary as a first step in anyconstruction program, particularly when new prac¬tices and procedures are to be followed as would bethe case when changing from manual to mechanicalmethods. To make the change successfuUy, it is notenough that the Department be furnished withmachines; they must be the right machines for thework intended.As previously recommended, and as shown inTable XVI-27, First Year Highway Program-Budget Requirements (see next page), it is proposedthat the initial equipment purchases include twoportable rock-crushing plants and an asphalt plant,together with the necessary laying equipment. It isalso recommended that the Department workshopsbe erUarged and modernized, since this wiU benecessary in order to properly service the roadconstructionequipment. Also, work should be startedon the materials laboratory, and funds have also beenaUoted for this purpose.3. EQUIPMENT POLICYIt is recommended that the Department adopt asa general pohcy the use of road equipment to sup¬plant hand labor in most of the work of grading andsurfacing roads and buUding road structures.4. PROGRAMMINGIt is further recommended that the program beplanned in detaU before selecting the equipment andthat the Department employ experienced advisers toassist in planning the work, procuring the equipmentand putting it to use. The argument has been raisedthat the use of equipment will replace labor to theextent of creating technological unemployment. Inthis situation the work ahead of the Department is ofsuch large proportions that it will use all present em¬ployees and many more for a considerable period oftime. The general aspects of technological unemploy¬ment have been discussed in Chapter 11.5. UNION ROAD SYSTEMIt is recommended that work on the Union roadsystem numbered routes be undertaken as promptlyas possible by beginning with specific project planning