Exploring Rural Road Impacts Using Fuzzy Multi-criteria Approach

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to develop a novel strategy to explore the impacts of rural road construction on quality of neighborhood (social environment). There has been broad consensus that rural roads assist in change in socioeconomic status of rural regions and have been justified by traditional methods. However, conventional assessment techniques lag in incorporating uncertainties and singularities associated with evaluation process of impacts. These limitations enable researchers to rely on more perceptible techniques. Fuzzy multi-criteria framework is one such approach which can deal effectively with such qualitative and quantitative assessment. It handles uncertainties and vagueness with ease. The present study proposes fuzzy Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluation (F-PROMETHEE) technique for assessing the impacts of rural road construction on quality of neighborhood. Efficacy of proposed technique is illustrated by employing a case study for the habitations connected in Jhunjhunu district of Rajasthan state, India. The habitations are connected under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY) scheme. The results indicate a significant change in factors contributing to quality of neighborhood and provide essential information to the decision and policy-makers to take necessary initiatives for sustainable rural development.