Major push to Highways Sector in the country under Bharatmala

August 02, 2017: Under the proposed Phase-I of Bharatmala Pariyojana, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is targeting to construct a total of 24,800 km of national highways (NH). The Public Investment Board has already cleared the proposal for Bharatmala Pariyojana, and CCEA proposal for the same is under inter-ministerial consultations, Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways, Mansukh Mandaviya stated in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.

He also informed that the ministry had identified 208 sites for construction of Road Over Bridges (ROB) on NH under a separate Setu Bharatam Scheme. The Ministry has launched an Indian Bridge Management System (IBMS) for inventory and condition survey of bridges on all national highways across the country which has already completed the survey of 1,62,022 bridges including 1,26,233 culverts.

In a separate written reply, Mansukh Mandaviya informed the House that at present, 1457 number of Highway development projects covering a length of 45,830 km with an estimated cost of Rs. 4,03,249 crores are under execution in the country.

There are delays in some of the projects mainly due to problems in land acquisition, utility shifting, non-availability of soil or aggregates, poor performance of contractors, environment, forest, wildlife clearance, ROB and RUB issue with Railways, public agitation for additional facilities, arbitration or contractual disputes with contractors, etc.

In this regard, regular meetings are held with project developers, state governments and contractors in Head Quarter as well as in Regional Office. To expedite completion of these projects various steps are also taken which include streamlining of land acquisition and environment clearances, exit for equity investors, premium re-scheduling, close coordination with other Ministries, revamping of dispute resolution mechanism, frequent reviews at various levels.