A majority of highway projects approved in Punjab’s Hoshiarpur under the Central Road Infrastructure Fund (CRIF) Scheme in 2024 have faced significant delays due to land acquisition issues, pending administrative approvals and other clearances, the Union ministry of road transport and highways informed Parliament on Thursday.
Responding to an unstarred question in the Lok Sabha, road transport and highways minister Nitin Jairam Gadkari said 29 highway projects, including 16 national highway projects and 13 state-road projects, were inaugurated or had their foundation stones laid in 2024 in Hoshiarpur under the central scheme. Of the national highway projects, 14 have been affected due to delays in handing over of land, statutory clearances and approval of general arrangement drawing (GAD) of railway road overbridges and under bridges, and force majeure events, such as heavy rainfall.
Out of 13 state road projects, six have not received administrative approval from the state government, whereas the progress/award of remaining seven projects is affected due to delay in handing over of land, statutory approvals, etc, the minister said in a written reply to Hoshiarpur MP Raj Kumar Chabbewal’s question. In his query, Chabbewal had sought reasons for the delays, details of cost escalation and measures being taken to ensure the completion of these road projects in a time-bound manner.
The ministry did not specify the cumulative cost escalation of these projects resulting from these delays. It said that while the central government is primarily responsible for development and maintenance of national highways and also allocates funds for state governments and union territories for development and maintenance of state roads under the CRIF Scheme as per the provisions of the amended CRIF Act, 2000, responsibility for project implementation lies with the state government, with project monitoring and quality control of works to be done at state level at regular intervals, ensuring timely completion of works. The ministry added that it actively monitors NH projects in close coordination with project implementing agencies, state governments, contractors and developers.
{{/usCountry}}The ministry did not specify the cumulative cost escalation of these projects resulting from these delays. It said that while the central government is primarily responsible for development and maintenance of national highways and also allocates funds for state governments and union territories for development and maintenance of state roads under the CRIF Scheme as per the provisions of the amended CRIF Act, 2000, responsibility for project implementation lies with the state government, with project monitoring and quality control of works to be done at state level at regular intervals, ensuring timely completion of works. The ministry added that it actively monitors NH projects in close coordination with project implementing agencies, state governments, contractors and developers.
{{/usCountry}}The ministry said that various initiatives have been taken to avoid or reduce project delays, including streamlining land acquisition and environment clearances, and revamping dispute resolution mechanism.
“Development and maintenance of NHs is a continuous process. Works on NHs are accordingly taken up based on the traffic density, condition of road and synergy with PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan to keep the NHs in traffic worthy condition,” it added.