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MRD first produced a draft rural road policy in 1999, which was
subsequently updated in 2002. The updating of the policy was
necessary to accommodate legal and institutional changes as a
result of the early-2002 commune council elections. However, the
policy was never formally adopted by MRD. These two policy
documents included a number of policy statements on several
issues including rural road ownership, management
responsibilities, financing road maintenance and construction,
choice of technology for rural roads, planning and
prioritisation of maintenance works, and monitoring standards
and specifications.
In 2005 MRD embarked on the development of a strategic plan for
rural roads. The main purpose of the plan was to set out the
long-term direction and framework for rural road development and
management. An aim of the plan was to ensure a consistent and
unified approach to the planning, improvement and maintenance of
rural roads. The plan has identified seven important issues to
be addressed by MRD, the first of which is a “Detailed and clear
policy for rural roads supported by a detailed action plan for
pursuing the policy”. This document provides the rural road
policy that is required. |