Socio-economic impacts of low-volume roads using a mixed-method approach of PCA and Fuzzy-TOPSIS

Abstract

Thepresent study proposes a novel mixed-method approach to ascertain and explorethe socio-economic indicators, which help in assessing the impacts of theconstruction of rural roads. Rural road infrastructure often has direct orindirect socio-economic impacts (SEIs) on the target population. Assessment ofSEIs poses a wide range of challenges due to their multi-dimensional nature ofvarious factors and their qualitative and quantitative evaluation process.Thus, the present study suggests a unique mixed-method approach to integratemultivariate techniques under a multi-criteria fuzzy framework. The applicabilityof this approach is demonstrated by employing a case study of roads constructedunder the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) in the Jhunjhunu district ofRajasthan, India. The findings of the study analysed a total of 33 sub-criteriaassociated with five main indicators, impacted by the construction of PMGSYroads. Sub-criteria contributing to education facility and quality ofneighbourhood have been found as the most significant effects. The results ofthe analysis presented in this study would benefit the respective StateGovernments to achieve sustainable rural development.