E-Paper
MORTH sets ₹35,000-cr target for private investment in PPP projects, 17% rise
The asset monetisation target by MoRTH from developed stretches has been kept the same as the current year at ₹30,000 crore in the detailed demand for grants by the ministry
New Delhi: The Union ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) has set a target of ₹35,000 crore of private sector investment in national highway development under the public-private partnership (PPP) mode for the next financial year, a 17% increase when compared to the target of ₹30,000 crore of the current FY. However, the asset monetisation target by MoRTH from developed stretches has been kept the same as the current year at ₹30,000 crore in the detailed demand for grants by the ministry. Notably, in FY 24, MoRTH had raised its highest-ever tally of ₹40,314 crore.
MoRTH will shed high-interest loans from banks through auctioning of Toll Operate Transfer (TOT) bundles, Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvIT), and securitisation.
Notably, the economic survey 2024-25 released on the eve of the budget highlighted the issue of limited private sector participation in core sectors, which, it noted, is a significant challenge to infrastructure development. The survey also noted that the national monetisation plan had raised ₹3.86 lakh crore against a target of ₹4.3 lakh crore between FY 22-24.
The target to lay new highways by the ministry have been dwindling since 2019-20 and in line with that trend MoRTH has set a target to construct 10,000 km of highways as against 12,000 km set for the current year.
While the number of accidents has been rising year-on-year on national highways (with the latest data available till 2022), the safety-related targets have been kept the same in line with the previous year with road safety audit target of 40,000 km and the removal of 1,000 black spots. Similarly, the target number of road safety audit training programmes have been kept same at five.
On the issue of cashless treatment to victims of road accidents caused by use of motor vehicles, the document showed that ₹127.9 crore has earmarked for the next financial year for all states. The scheme which was launched in a pilot basis in the current FY has been gradually expanded in all states. Under the scheme, union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari had earlier said road crash survivors will be provided cashless treatment up to ₹1.5 lakh for seven days.
