DESCRIPTION
The project consists of four components.
(i) Road Upgrading, Construction and Maintenance: The component has two sub-components: (a) surface sealing of the existing gravel surfaced rural roads (approx. 10,000 km) developed under the CMGSY program; and (b) providing alternate connectivity (approx. 510 km) to villages that have higher potential to grow faster, given additional linkages to more economic and market centers.
(ii) Institutional Development: The component has two sub-components: (a) defining the rural road asset management system requirements and terms of reference (overall system architecture, data collection and analytical modules) and then procuring a road asset management system or such elements required to upgrade the existing system; and (b) strengthening design and research and quality assurance capacity of MPRRDA.
(iii) Road Safety Management Capacity Development: The component has two sub-components: (a) developing a comprehensive and multi-institutional, multi-sectoral road accident data management system; and (b) piloting multi-sectoral road safety initiatives for a high-risk next work.
(iv) Design, Implementation and Management Support: The component supports MPRRDA in overall project management, construction supervision and quality control, and technical and financing audits with the support from independent consultants.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL INFORMATION
The Bank has decided to use the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Safeguard Policies (Safeguard Policies) since (i) they are consistent with the Bank’s Articles of Agreement and materially consistent with the provisions of the Bank’s Environmental and Social Policy and relevant Environmental and Social Standards; and (ii) the monitoring procedures that the World Bank has in place to ascertain compliance with its Safeguard Policies are appropriate for the project. Under the World Bank’s Safeguard Policies, the project has been assigned Category B. Three of the WB’s Safeguard Policies have been applied to the project. They are OP 4.01, Environmental Assessment; OP 4.04, Natural Habitats; and OP 4.10, Indigenous Peoples. A Social Management Framework and an Environmental Management Framework have been disclosed on MPRRDA’s website and the World Bank’s website.
