New Delhi, Jan 21: Peeved with the delays in highway projects in different parts of the country, the government on Wednesday set a month`s deadline for the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to resolve issues that were responsible for slow implementation.
In a review meeting of NHAI projects in Uttar Pradesh,
Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Orissa, Transport
Minister T R Baalu asked the highways authority and officials
in his ministry to submit a report within the next one month.
The direction comes on the heels of NHAI drawing flak
from the Planning Commission and Committee on Infrastructure
headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for delayed execution
of various national highway projects.
"In the project wise review, all aspect relating to
project, including problems and constraints, being faced by
the implementing agencies, contractors, concessionaires were
discussed in details and directions were issued to the
ministry official and NHAI to resolve these issues within a
month and submit a report to the minister," an official
statement said.
The minister also directed NHAI to complete the ongoing
Golden Quadrilateral projects in West Bengal and Orissa by
March 2009, it said.
The projects reviewed included World Bank aided 14
projects in Uttar Pradesh and 13 projects aided by Asian
Development Bank in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
Baalu directed the Transport Secretary Brahm Dutt and
NHAI Chairman Brijeshwar Singh to take up matters pertaining
to delay in execution of projects due to land acquisition,
forest clearance and shifting of utilities with concerned
state governments in order to expedite implementation.
It was observed that one of the main reasons for delay in
projects, especially in Uttar Pradesh, was problems in land
acquisition, forest clearance and shifting of utilities while
in Madhya Pradesh, the main problem faced by concessionaire
was in obtaining forest clearance and clearance for Pench
Tiger Reserve in Seoni District.
With regard to Bihar, the NHAI indicated, re-engineering
especially the study of hydraulic details was yet to be
completed due to floods and change in the course of the river
Kosi.
Bureau Report
