DF govt to spend Rs 3000 cr on road to power
March 3, 2008
Though its four-year rule in Maharashtra is yet to bring a visible change in the state, the Democratic Front (DF) government now wishes to make amends during its final year in office.
For the 2008-09 fiscal, the state will witness large-scale road construction works, senior officials of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) and Public Works Department (PWD) told ET. The two agencies, which have been keeping a low-profile during the DF rule, compared to the 1995-1999 Shiv Sena-BJP government’s period, want to make up for the lost time. “We will have many more projects to showcase before the people,” Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh had said earlier.
Road works amounting to more than Rs 3,000 crore have been initiated by these two agencies across the state. All projects are being undertaken on build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis and the state agencies are collaborating with the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). Such is the project’s volume that the PWD, MSRDC and NHAI would upgrade around 900 km of roads across Maharashtra.
“Most of the roads under construction would be completed in a year or so. We are following a strategy of aggressive development in the road sector, which is one of the main drivers of socio-economic growth. Roads not only connect but also bring investment,” PWD secretary DB Deshpande told ET.
The state is using the Rs 2,000-crore grant sanctioned by the Union government to upgrade the corridors of national highways, which pass through Maharashtra. This allocation has to be used in the 2008-2009 fiscal. The work includes six-laning of the 90-km corridor between Dahisar-Talasari on Mumbai-Ahmedabad National Highway, the 275-km corridor between Satara-Karad-Kagal, which leads to Bangalore, the 86-km stretch between Igatpuri and Pimpalgaon and construction of an elevated 5.5 km long corridor bypassing the Nashik city.
“Maharashtra has always been regarded as the leading state as far as quality of road is concerned. But good roads have utility beyond the obvious connectivity point of view. The World Bank has estimated that an investment of Rs 20 lakh in road works creates one perpetual job.
We are looking at employment generation and economic potential of roads, which would be give an edge to Maharashtra in these industrially competitive times,” an MSRDC official said. Lot of action is also visible on the state highways. The PWD has got Cabinet approval for the Rs 800-crore four-laning of Shirur-Nagar-Pune-Aurangabad state highway, which is 300-km long. “Work has started on this project and should be completed by May 2009,” Mr Deshpande added.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
Jharkhand hoping PPPs will attract investors
July 28, 2006
Jharkhand is yet to see the concept of public-private partnership (PPP) take off in any form, especially on its 7,000-odd km network of roads and bridges. The state has not itself tried out the concept; it has seen the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) thrice floating tenders for the Ranchi-Barhi road on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis without evoking any response from the private sector. And the Barhi-Ranchi stretch is said to be the state’s highest traffic corridor!
“Let’s see what happens here (at the PWD level), as we are going to launch the concept in the state soon,” said an apprehensive senior road construction department bureaucrat. Says DK Tiwari, secretary of the department: “We are now seeking to get some roads on that (PPP) basis.”
First edition of e-Magzine - Editorial
January 2, 2006
Dear Reader,
We are glad to bring out the first edition of this e news magazine bringing you the latest news on the developments of BOT projects in India.
As you are all already aware that the future of road construction in India is going the BOT way . Not only the NHAI , but even the state governments such as the Government of Punjab through PIDB and Madhya Pradesh Government through MPSRD has come out with no. of BOT projects .
Apart from Road Projects even Check Post Management has gone the BOT way with state governments such as the NEW DELHI already having implemented and KERELA and RAJASTHAN in the planning stage to go for BOT projects for CHECK POST MANAGEMENT.
With this magazine we hope to bring together companies and professionals in BOT road projects to share news ,views ,problems and solutions through a platform which will bring together best of the industry through a forum for sharing thier knowledge .
Also we hope to use this a medium for recruitment of High skill professionals having experience in managing different aspects of BOT projects by the leading BOT concession companies.
Last but not the least we want to constantly educate the concessionaires about the latest in Tolling and Traffic Management Technologies offered by Metro Road Systems and its global partners –Kapsch Trafficom , Austria and ECM of France .
We would really appreciate constructive and critical feedback on this maiden venture in the Industry.
In the next issues you can look forward to :
1. Articles from renowned people in Industry
2. Web Chat with experts on Hot topics concerning industry
3. Lot of illustrations and pictures
Thanks and Regards,
Sachin Bhatia
Chief Editor ,
METRO ROAD TIMES ;
sachin@metroroadsystems.com