This decision will be applicable to works for which tenders have not been released yet. This decision will increase the life of the roads, ensure safety of the passengers and reduce the government's expenditure in the long run, the minister said.Hours before the State Election Commission announced the dates of the local body elections on Wednesday, the Gujarat government said it has approved resurfacing of 5,700 km of non-planned roads in the villages by spending over Rs 3,400 crore.Under this, a total of 2,342 road works have been approved in 33 districts of the state, the state government spokesperson and Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani said on Wednesday.“Two very important decisions have been taken under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel to make the road network of the state stronger and safer. These decisions will strengthen the connectivity of rural and remote areas and will also see a long-term improvement in the quality of roads,” said Vaghani, while briefing the media.“Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has today approved Rs 3,400 crore for the improvement of non-planned roads connecting the villages of the state. A total of 5,700 km of non-plan roads will be resurfaced in the state at a cost of more than Rs 3,400 crore. Under which a total of 2,342 works have been approved in 33 districts of the state,” the minister said. He said that 67 per cent of the non-plan roads of the state will be covered. The connectivity of the rural areas and remote settlements will increase, making it safer, faster and easier for the commuters, he said.Also, digital monitoring and performance indicators will be implemented to bring more transparency and accountability in the road works. The government decision, the minister said, will reduce the cost in the long run and protect the state’s infrastructure investment and reduce road accidents due to pothole-free roads and proper signage.The Agriculture Minister said the government has made changes in the maintenance guidelines to build new roads and maintain their quality for a long time.“To maintain the quality of the roads for a long time, it has now decided to adopt the ‘Output and Performance Based Contract’ (OPRC) and ‘Performance Based Maintenance Contract’ (PBMC) method. The works worth more than Rs 25 crore will be done under OPRC. The contract for that will be for ten years, in which there will be a period of two years for construction and eight years for maintenance. Apart from this, works worth Rs 2 crore to 25 crore will be done under PBMC. The contract for the PBMC method of work will be for seven years, which includes one year of surface improvement and six years of maintenance,” the minister explained.Story continues below this adGiving information about the main features of the new method, the minister said that now the payment to the contractor will be made based on the quality of the road and not on the quantity of work. Along with the asphalt surface, the contractor will also have to maintain the drainage, sign boards, marking, among others.This decision will be applicable to works for which tenders have not been released yet. This decision will increase the life of the roads, ensure safety of the passengers and reduce the government’s expenditure in the long run, the minister said.