Expressway firm faces action for project delay

Haryana government on Tuesday threatened action against the concessionaire firm of the 135-km-long Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway for delaying the project.

Haryana government on Tuesday threatened action against the concessionaire firm of the 135-km-long Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway for delaying the project.

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The company has missed its deadline thrice. The latest deadline is December 2011. The company, however, promised to open a 53-km-long stretch partially by May this year.

Haryana chief secretary Urvashi Gulati, who presided over a meeting of the high-powered committee (for the expressway) in Chandigarh, criticised the firm for the slow progress. Gulati also discussed various issues with different departments related to the project.

"The government won't hesitate to take action as per the terms of agreement signed with the company," she said.

She said the deadlines were promised by the company itself, so it should explain why it can't complete the project.

To these questions, the concessionaire company, KMPEL, replied that some of the reasons for the slow progress should be resolved quickly. The issues include 'change of scope' orders, forest clearance problems at two or three locations, shifting of electrical lines and acquisition of certain land.

Gulati said a sub-committee of the financial commissioner and principal secretary, industries and managing director, HSIIDC, will get these issues resolved.

'Petty issues'
HSIIDC managing director Rajiv Arora clarified the position on all these issues. He said KMPEL was trying to distract its non-performance record by citing petty issues.

KMPEL officials said they can give realistic targets for completion of the Manesar-Palwal section and the whole expressway only after assessing the ground realities.

The heads of forest department, public works department, finance, power, tourism and irrigation, among others, attended the meeting.

The Haryana government's displeasure over the multiple deadlines delays come at a time when the company is claiming to be grappling with issues, which a sub-committee of the financial commissioner and principal secretary, industries and managing director, HSIIDC, would try to resolve, according to Gulati.