The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has blamed “abnormal” delays in getting environment and forest clearances for road projects among the reasons for the current downturn in the sector.

In a letter to the ministry of road transport and highways on Monday, NHAI chairman RP Singh said the environment ministry had shown “misplaced enthusiasm” by making both environment and forest clearances mandatory for road projects, a move that is believed to have affected projects worth about .