Rural roads can play a key role in promoting both economic and social development at the village level. However it is estimated by the National Transport Policy Committee that providing all-weather access to all villages in India will require an investment of Rs. 110 billion. This paper investigates the potential of cost reduction using a decision support system using inter-active graphics and heuristics. Very sizeable cost reductions, of the order of 30% were demonstrated to four talukas of Kheda district in Gujarat.