The road transport and highways ministry is pitching for a $3-billion World Bank loan to convert 6,300 kilometer of single-lane national highways to two lane. There are a total of 19,000 km single-lane national highways in the country.
The B K Chaturvedi committee appointed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to suggest measures to re-energise the roads sector has called for scrapping the controversial norm that limits the number of players that can be shortlisted for projects. And has recommended over-arching powers to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, curbing the clout the Planning Commission enjoyed so far.
CCL employees insert a water pipe into the ground at Lohagate on NH-33 on Monday. Picture by Prashant Mitra
Ranchi, Aug. 10: Land acquisition is delaying the much-awaited four-laning project of NH-33 between Ranchi and Hazaribagh, including a 4km bypass near Kujju, where a portion of the highway caved in yesterday because of a raging underground mine fire.
Looking to make infrastructure development as its major plank, the Road Transport Ministry would be undertaking as many as 165 projects under the National Highway Development Programme (NHDP) during the year.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is, for the first time, giving operation, maintenance and transfer (OMT) of nine stretches on a public-private partnership (PPP). It is offering over 1,400 km of stretches under this model.
