COMMUNICATIONS

INTRODUCTION

AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PRESENT CENTURY THE CONDITION of transport and communications in Ahmadnagar district was not satisfactory. Roads in those days were mainly earthen tracts which had to be made even and repaired very often so as to serve traffic needs. The monsoons used to inflict great hardships on the travelling public. In the absence of bridges, traffic used to be interrupted during rainy days. A few roads were however surfaced with gravel and stones.

Construction and improvement of roads received the attention of the Government during the third decade of the century. The Government carried out a liberal programme of improvement, which included grading of the existing roads side by side with construction of new roads and conversion of country roads into metalled ones. The metalling of road surfaces encouraged the introduction of motor services.

Despite the road improvement programme in the third and fourth decades of this century the condition of transport was not satisfactory; and there was vast scope for expansion and development of modern methods of transport. Indeed villages situated in the interior were devoid of any road except cart-tracks which were usually unsuitable for carts during the rainy season.

By 1961 the district was well connected by roads with the adjoining districts of Pune, Sholapur, Bhir, Aurangabad, Nasik and Thane. Most of the road construction programme in the district was undertaken as a part of scarcity relief works. The hilly terrain in the western and northern parts of the district makes road development costlier. The district head-quarters however is well connected by roads with all the taluka head-quarters and major cities and towns in western Maharashtra and Marathwada region.

"During the period 1951-61 there was no change in the length of National Highways. The State Highways increased by less than a mile, major district roads by 46.03 miles, other district roads by 316.87 miles and village roads by 163.91 miles." [District Census Handbook, Ahmadnagar District, 1961.]

The total length of roads which stood at 3,024 kilometres at the end of 1960-61 increased to 4,116 kilometres at the end of 1967. Of this a length of 61 kilometres was accounted for by the Pune-Nasik national highway which passes through Sangamner taluka. The total length of cement-concrete, black-topped and water-bound macadam roads was 1,997 kilometres, i.e., 49 per cent of the total length. The length of village roads had increased from 449 kilometres in 1960-61 to 1,405 kilometres in 1966-67. Length of municipal roads increased from 72.76 kilometres in 1960-61 to 85.10 kilometres in 1966-67. The following table shows the surface-wise classification of roads in the district in 1971-72:-

TABLE No. 1-CLASSIFICATION OF ROADS IN AHMADNAGAR DISTRICT AS ON 31ST MARCH 1972

Ahmadnagar does not have the benefit of air transport service. However an aircraft landing strip has been provided by the Indian Air Force near Ahmadnagar town. This air-strip is also used for the landing of aircrafts carrying the dignitaries as and when required.

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