Bye street light: Now, a road in Netherlands that glows in dark

April 16, 2014

NEW WAY TO SAVE ENERGY

London: A first glow-in-the-dark ‘smart highway’ spanning 500 metres has been developed to replace street lights in the Netherlands. It is the first time “glowing lines” technology has been piloted on the road and can be seen on the N329 in Oss, approximately 100km south east of Amsterdam.

Designer and innovator Daan Roosegaarde teamed up with Dutch civil engineering firm Heijmans to developed the technology. The glow-in-the-dark markings are made of paint that contains “photo-luminising” powder which charges up in the daytime and slowly releases a green glow at night, ‘BBC News’ reported.

Once the paint has absorbed daylight it can glow for up to eight hours in the dark, doing away with the need for street lights. The innovative technology will be officially launched later this month and if successful could trigger a mass switch-off of lighting across the country’s road network, potentially saving the nation millions of Euros.

Heijmans said that the glow in the dark technology is “a sustainable alternative to places where no conventional lighting is present”.
Roosegaarde’s past projects have included a dance floor with built-in discolights powered by dancers’ foot movements, and a dress that becomes see-through when the wearer is aroused. In the UK, engineers have developed water-resistant, spray-on coating that makes roads glow in the dark by absorbing UV light during the day and releasing it at night. The coating can adapt to the lighting conditions in its surroundings to glow accordingly. AGENCIES

Source-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

State Highways to Come Under Camera Surveillance Soon

April 7, 2014

By Express News Service – KOCHI

 

After installing high power cameras in various National Highways in the state, the Motor Vehicle Department would now procure another 500 mini cameras to maintain surveillance on the State Highways. Police officials said that the tender for the mini cameras has been floated and it would be installed within a month’s period.

According to senior officials in the Motor Vehicle Department, the majority of surveillance cameras are fitted on the state’s National Highways. “The number of cameras in the State Highways were comparatively low and over speeding incidents were high here. There are several highways in the state, which are more wider than the National Highways. In these roads, there is a high intensity of traffic and many accidents reported. So we decided to install mini cameras which can detect the speed of the vehicle and facilitate carrying out enforcement activities as well,” a senior official said. Motor Vehicle Officials said that the newly inaugurated control room to monitor vehicles along the highway from Cherthala to Manjeshwaram has been a huge success. “More than 300 drivers are being booked daily using these cameras. With the installation of the new system, we can successfully control the speed of inter-state luxury buses plying in the night,” an official said.

Some of the night buses are found over-speeding at more than 90 kilometres. The installation of the cameras has made the drivers more wary. As a result, they don’t accelerate and drive cautiously on the NH. If the driver is caught for the first time, he is let off with a fine. If this becomes a regular occurrence, then stringent action including cancelling of the license would be taken.

A state-of-the-art control room to monitor vehicles along the highway from Cherthala to Manjeshwaram was inaugurated at Kakkanad a few weeks back. The control room monitors feed from 147 observation cameras set up along the highway.

At present 57 cameras have been set up for the purpose. Apart from the over-speeding and signal violation, the use of mobile phones and not wearing helmet are also liable for punishment. The cameras also help in booking riders and drivers carrying more people than the required capacity, violation of lane traffic, manipulated and unauthorised registration plates and dangerously loaded vehicles.

 

Source- http://www.newindianexpress.com/

Ambala-Yamunanagar NH-73 four-laning project ‘dumped’

March 12, 2014

Rajesh Moudgil, Hindustan Times  Chandigarh,

Here is bad news for the Haryana government as well as for thousands of motorists plying on Ambala-Yamunanagar national highway (NH-73). The private contractor who was given the contract to four-lane the 102-km stretch of the NH-73 has opted out.

 

Ironically, the company has cited the inordinate delays in getting various clearances from the official agencies, hence request for cancellation of its agreement. Satish Chandra, member, finance, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), ministry of transport and roadways, informed the state government in this context on March 10.

The stretch that connects Ambala, Panchkula, Barwala and Saha with Yamunanagar is currently 7.5-metre wide and its condition is pathetic as there are potholes.

The private contractor (concessionaire) which was awarded the work for the said Rs. 934.39 crore project on March 30, 2012, and which was to be completed by January 2015, recently wrote to NHAI requesting it to terminate the contract.

The contractor held that it was due to the inordinate delay in grant of necessary approval for diversion of forest land to the contractor and there still being uncertainty for obtaining the same, the cancellation of his contract was sought.

The NHAI has now asked the state government to maintain the said stretch on its own besides initiating the process for fresh bids.

The application made by NHAI to the state forest department way back in 2009 was reportedly not processed in time which led to delay in possession of the land to the concessionaire making the concessionaire to make a request to NHAI to opt out of the project.

About 10-km road on the said stretch falls in Khol Hi Raittan wildlife sanctuary influence area in Panchkula district whereas only 700 metre passes through the wildlife sanctuary. The non-timely clearance of 10 km of the said stretch has resulted in the situation leading to the concessionaire opting out.

Source -http://www.hindustantimes.com/

Agreement on Bar-Boljare highway construction signed, conditions created for negotiating financial agreement

March 6, 2014

Agreement on Bar-Boljare highway construction signed, conditions created  for negotiating financial agreement

   Author PR BureauPodgorica,

 

Montenegro (26 February 2014) – Montenegro’s Transport Minister Ivan Brajović and representatives of the Chinese company China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) signed earlier today in Podgorica the Framework Agreement and the Agreement on the project design, construction, and procurement and installation of equipment and materials for the construction of the Bar-Boljare highway, that is the priority section Smokovac-Uvač-Mateševo.

The signing of the agreement was one of the preconditions for starting negotiations with the Chinese EXIM Bank on financial viability of the project, Minister Brajović told the press conference following the signing ceremony.

The agreement on the project design and construction, and the financial agreement with the EXIM bank which is to be signed, as well as the Law on Highway, will be submitted to the Parliament of Montenegro for approval, he explained.

The Government of Montenegro selected the Chinese companies CCCC International (China Communications Construction Company) and the CRBC (China Road and Bridge Corporation) as best bidders for the construction the the 44-km priority section on the future Bar-Boljare highway on 4 July 2013. The offered price for the construction of the priority part of Montenegro’s greatest infrastructural project is EUR 809.577.356,14.

Source-http://www.gov.me/en 

 

Govt to review norms for financially-stressed highway projects

December 24, 2013

The government proposes to reschedule premium obligations of the developers of some of the financially-stressed highway projects that are under various stages of execution or are abandoned by the developers owing to various reasons.

The government move comes in the backdrop of near stagnation or a lack of progress in implementing a majority of the 53 projects for developing 6,415 km of highways, awarded during the UPA’s second term.

While a majority of these are stuck due to financial reasons, some 4,000 km of projects where construction is yet to start the reasons are mainly regulatory roadblocks or non-availability of land.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has awarded these projects on a design, build, operate basis and developers have secured the right to collect tolls on the basis of the premium they offered to pay.

Source- http://www.domain-b.com/

Premium recast not enough to revive stalled highway projects

December 23, 2013

MAMUNI DAS

Real hurdles: Under the new proposal, in the most optimistic scenario, 10-12 out of 53 premium-based projects may be revived.
Real hurdles: Under the new proposal, in the most optimistic scenario, 10-12 out of 53 premium-based projects may be revived.

Regulatory delays, rising cost, drying up of bank funding are major worries

NEW DELHI, DEC:

The Government’s proposed premium rescheduling package may help financially-strapped highways projects already under various stages of execution.

But it is unlikely to help much if the aim is to jump-start over 4,000 km of projects where construction is yet to start.

There are three main reasons for this.

The first is project delays, for which the Government’s own tardiness in giving environmental and forest clearances, and making available encumbrance-free land to developers, are partly responsible.

In fact, GMR Infrastructure cited precisely the above factors while issuing termination notice on the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for six-laning of a 556-km stretch from Kishangarh to Ahmedabad via Udaipur in January.

Even the idea of premium rescheduling — wherein developers could postpone these payments even while keeping their net present value over the entire concession period unchanged — was floated almost a year ago when GMR itself proposed it to preserve the viability of the single largest project awarded during the UPA regime.

The NHAI Board had even approved GMR’s proposal in March. But no decision has since been taken.

But delays in regulatory clearances have led to increased projects costs. That constitutes the second reason why mere premium rescheduling may not help.

Delays equal Cost

The last two years have, moreover, seen road construction costs rise by an average of 10 per cent a year. Prices of bitumen have gone up sharply. The same is true for diesel, cement, and labour costs, even if to a lesser extent. “For a project costing Rs 2,000 crore, construction costs have gone up by Rs 200-250 crore a year,” claimed Sudhir Hoshing, CEO-Roads Business at Reliance Infrastructure Ltd.

Besides, toll revenues have slowed. The highway projects in which developers bid aggressively by offering to pay high premiums were all awarded prior to 2011-12 when the Indian economy was clocking 8-9 per cent growth. Most of them are today unviable.

Banks wary

The third reason is drying up of bank funding.

Banks — mainly State Bank of India, Canara Bank, Syndicate Bank, Punjab National Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce, Bank of India and ICICI — have outstanding exposure of Rs 1,31,000 crore to the road sector as of March 31, 2013. Increased project costs and slowing toll collections have now made them cagey about lending.

“Even for projects that achieved financial closure in 2012, banks insist on doing fresh due diligence. They are re-evaluating if the projects are feasible and whether the promoters are willing to put in additional equity,” said a senior NHAI official.

That being the case, the Government may have to go beyond premium rescheduling to even partially compensate developers for increased project costs on account of regulatory delays.

The most optimistic scenario, according to an infrastructure analyst, is of 10-12 out of the 53 premium-based projects being revived by the proposal now under consideration.

The only other alternative before the Government is to cancel projects that are heading nowhere and re-invite bids. “They may not fetch the kind of attractive premiums that developers had committed earlier. But we those know those premiums will anyway not accrue,” the analyst pointed out.

 

Source-http://www.thehindubusinessline.com

Govt moves to ease highway developers’ financial stress

December 23, 2013

MAMUNI DAS

Policy on staggering premium obligations of developers soon

NEW DELHI, The Government is keen on kick-starting road projects, which have hit a roadblock for a variety of reasons in recent years.

The focus of its attention is on 53 projects for developing 6,415 km of highways, awarded during the UPA’s second term. Most of them are stuck or financially stressed.

Developers secured these projects based on the premium they offered to pay the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for the right to design, build, operate and collect tolls.

They have not yet started any work on many of the projects, especially on the 31 projects awarded in 2011-12. Some developers – GMR, GVK, Ashoka Buildcon and KMC Constructions – have backed out from the projects by serving termination notices to the NHAI.

The next few days could, however, see a breakthrough as the Centre is set to finalise a policy for rescheduling the premium obligations of developers.

The Government has more or less firmed up a formula. It involves giving the developers the option to pay 25 per cent of their original premium outgo for the first three years and 50 per cent in the following years, subject to discharge of the entire postponed obligations three years before the concession period of 20-30 years ends, Highway Ministry sources told Business Line.

The developers will, however, have to pay interest on the premium payments postponed.

“Just as the premium obligation is fixed, this rate will also be fixed. We have tentatively decided a rate of 10.75 per cent,” a source said. The Government, to protect its financial interests, is also planning to prevent developers from paying any dividends before meeting their postponed premium obligations in full.

Any takers?The logic here is that developers should not use the project cash flows from the staggered premium commitments for rewarding promoters/shareholders, they added.

However, it is not clear whether this formula will help developers get started on their projects.

Developers most likely to make use of this option are the ones who are six-laning their existing four-lane projects, where construction and toll collection are already under way.

“Right now, we are borrowing at 11-11.25 per cent. If the discount (interest) rate is set lower, we will certainly use the option,” said Virendra D. Mhaiskar, CMD, IRB Infrastructure Developers.

IRB is executing the 114-km Chitradurg-Tumkur bypass and the 102-km Ahmedabad-Vadodara stretches, involving a combined premium outgo of Rs 450 crore in the first year with a 5 per cent annual escalation factor.

Another developer who could benefit is Reliance Infrastructure Ltd, which also has three projects already under construction with a total premium outgo of Rs 200 crore: Pune-Satara (140 km), Kandla-Mundra Port (71 km) and Hosur-Krishnagiri (60 km).

But the real problem would be in kick-starting projects where developers had quoted high premiums and are yet to begin work.

“At 10.75 per cent discount rate, I don’t see more than six projects making use of the proposed policy. The developers have already commenced work in these and are stuck. So, any deal reducing cash outgo in the initial years and keeping their debts from ballooning is probably welcome,” said M. Murali, Director-General, National Highways Builders Federation.

 

Source-http://www.thehindubusinessline.com

‘Highway projects worth over Rs1 lakh cr to move soon’

December 23, 2013

Press Trust Of India : New Delhi,

The highways ministry expects projects worth over Rs 1 lakh crore, which have been stuck for long, to start moving from next month as a concrete decision on the rescheduling of premium paid by developers is expected by the end of this month.

“I am hopeful that highway projects worth over Rs 1 lakh crore would be on stream next month onwards. The report of C Rangarajan Committee on premium rescheduling is likely to be accepted by month-end,” road transport and highways minister Oscar Fernandes told PTI.

The government has constituted a panel, headed by Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council C Rangarajan, to look into the issues pertaining to bailout of highway developers. The government had approved a proposal in October for the postponement of premium payments by highway developers and has referred the matter to the Rangarajan panel.

The move is likely to provide relief to a large number of players such as GMR, GVK and Ashoka Buildcon.

Their projects have been facing delays on account of high premium — the payment made by developers to the National Highways Authority of India under the BOT mode.

The premium, which is offered by companies during the bidding stage, is based on projected returns from tolls.

Source-http://www.indianexpress.com/

Further funds to support Indian roads

December 17, 2013

Written by Helen Wright – 16 Dec 2013

World BankWorld Bank

The World Bank has approved a US$ 175 million loan to improve connectivity in the state of Gujarat.

The funds will go towards the Second Gujarat State Highway Project, which aims to improve 635 km of the road network passing through 16 districts within the state, particularly the underdeveloped eastern tribal region.

“This project will build on our long engagement in the road sector in India by connecting small and remote habitations in the lagging tribal regions of east Gujarat to the mainstream,” said Onno Ruhl, World Bank country director for India.

The latest funds come after a string of World Bank loans supporting the development of India’s roads this year, including US$ 660 million awarded in October towards India’s National Highways Interconnectivity Improvement Project and the Rajasthan Road Sector Modernisation Project.

In March, the World Bank said it planned to continue its level of annual assistance of between US$ 3 billion to US$ 5 billion a year to India over the next four years with the aim of boosting development in low-income states.

 

Source-http://www.khl.com

More Funds for Highway Projects Sought

December 17, 2013

By Express News Service – BANGALORE

 

 

Higher Education Minister R V Deshapande and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah with Union Minister Kamal Nath in New Delhi on Monday
Higher Education Minister R V Deshapande and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah with Union Minister Kamal Nath in New Delhi on Monday

 

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is on a two-day visit to Delhi, met Union Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath on Monday and sought funds for various highway projects being undertaken in the state.

According to official sources, during Siddaramaiah’s over half-an-hour meeting with the Union minister he submitted a memorandum on the projects which were being taken up in the state under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM) and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

He also met Union Health Minister Gulam Nabi Azad and conveyed concerns of the arecanut farmers following an affidavit submitted by the Health Ministry to the Supreme Court supporting the ban on areca.

Later, Siddaramaiah told reporters that the Centre has not submitted any affidavit suggesting the SC to impose ban on the use of arecanut.

“We also brought to the notice of the Union Health Minister the medicinal properties of areca,” he said.

Higher Education Minister R V Deshapande, Urban Development Minister Vinay Kumar Sorake, Congress MPs H Vishwanath and R Dhruvanarayan and MLAs S R Mahesh and Chikkamadu were also present.

Source-http://www.newindianexpress.com

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