Union Government launches mobile app Aarambh for road maintenance

The Union Government on 24 July 2017 introduced a mobile app Aarambh for road maintenance.

The app was launched by Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister for Panchayati Raj, Rural Development, Drinking Water & Sanitation, and Deborah Greenfield, Deputy Director General (Policy) of the International Labour Organization (ILO).

In addition, Tomar and Greenfield also launched a Concept Note and Guidance Note for Mobilizing Funds for Maintenance of Rural Road. The Concept Note outlines innovative ways, which can be adopted by the State Governments for mobilizing additional funds for road maintenance and presents some international best practices worldwide.  

Key highlights of Aarambh

• Aarambh is a mobile phone based app for performance based maintenance contracting and community contracting for maintenance of rural roads.

• The mobile phone app aims at use of Geographic Information System (GIS) based mapping for making road inventories, condition surveys, and producing cost estimates and other relevant data for preparation and monitoring of annual road maintenance plans.

• Its usage would greatly enhance the service delivery of the state level institutions in planning and implementing performance based rural roads maintenance contracts.