Kamal Nath fast-tracks Phase IV of highway development

Union road transport and highways minister Kamal Nath wants to fast-track the fourth phase of the National Highways Development Programme.

In a review meeting with 28 consultants last week, Nath asked them to expedite their work on the detailed project report (DPR).

With this, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is gearing up to award projects spanning 14,527km in Phase IV worth Rs20,000 crore by March 2011.

Phase IV of NHDP envisages providing 20,207km arterial connectivity to the Golden Quadrilateral (NHDP Phase I) and North-South-East-West corridor (NHDP Phase II).

The total cost of Phase IV is estimated at around Rs28,000 crore. The roads will be four-lane, with paved shoulders. The timeline for the entire project is 2015.

Confirming the ministry’s decision to focus on the fourth phase, a road transport ministry official said, “The March deadline has been fixed by the ministry to award around 15,000km, worth Rs20,000 crore, by NHAI. Large part of DPR preparation work is over and
a cabinet note is being prepared for the preparation of balance DPRs.”

Out of the 20,207km, NHAI has to deliver 14,527km, while the balance is with the highways ministry.

“NHAI has identified 13,763km stretches. DPR work is already in progress for 12,500km stretch. DPR preparation for the balance stretches will be awarded by mid-October. The entire span was handed over to the NHAI last year as the ministry did not have the adequate resources to implement the projects. Only 176km are under implementation in this phase as of now,” the ministry official said.

The official said the span under the NHAI is likely to be up and running by 2013 and those with the ministry is likely to be completed by December 2014.

NHAI, meanwhile, will continue working on Phase III of NHDP (12,000km). To date, 5,186km in this phase is under implementation.