6604 km of national highway constructed till February
MUMBAI: A total of 6604 km of national highway has been constructed till February, 2017 out of the target of 15,000 km, minister of state for road transport and highways, P Radhakrishnan said in a written reply to a question raised in the Lok Sabha today.
“The slow speed of construction of National Highways (NHs is mainly due to land acquisition, utility shifting, non-availability of soil/aggregates, poor performance of contractors, environment/ forest/wildlife clearance, ROB & RUB issue with railways, public agitation for additional facilities, arbitration/contractual disputes with contractors etc.,” Radhakrishnan said.
The road, transport and highway ministry led by Nitin Gadkari has been criticised in the past for being slow in meeting the target for construction. The rate of construction had gathered some steam at the end of January, 2017. It stood at 18.23 km/day compared with an average of 16.6 km/day in the 2015-16 fiscal.
Gadkari has earlier said that construction could pick up the rate of 30 km per day by March this year.
“The ministry has empaneled National Level Project Monitors for monitoring of critical and languishing National Highways projects all over the country,” Radhakrishnan said.
The target of 15,000 km of highways, a 50% increase from the target set for 2016-17, was adopted by the government in February, for this financial year.
“The slow speed of construction of National Highways (NHs is mainly due to land acquisition, utility shifting, non-availability of soil/aggregates, poor performance of contractors, environment/ forest/wildlife clearance, ROB & RUB issue with railways, public agitation for additional facilities, arbitration/contractual disputes with contractors etc.,” Radhakrishnan said.
The road, transport and highway ministry led by Nitin Gadkari has been criticised in the past for being slow in meeting the target for construction. The rate of construction had gathered some steam at the end of January, 2017. It stood at 18.23 km/day compared with an average of 16.6 km/day in the 2015-16 fiscal.
Gadkari has earlier said that construction could pick up the rate of 30 km per day by March this year.
“The ministry has empaneled National Level Project Monitors for monitoring of critical and languishing National Highways projects all over the country,” Radhakrishnan said.
The target of 15,000 km of highways, a 50% increase from the target set for 2016-17, was adopted by the government in February, for this financial year.
