Road Ministry sets target to complete Rs 34K Cr projects in NE by 2016

August 5, 2013

By PTI |

NEW DELHI: Government has set a target to complete Rs 33,688 crore projects under Special Accelerated Road Development Programme by June 2016 to improve infrastructure in the country’s North Eastern region.

“The phase A of SARDP-NE including Arunachal Package covers 6,418 km at an estimated cost of Rs 33,688 crore… The project is targeted for completion by June, 2016,” according to the Road Transport and Highways (RTH) Ministry.

The projects are being executed by the States Public Work Departments, Border Roads Organisation (BRO), National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

SARDP is Special Accelerated Road Development Programme. So far, about 1,180 km have been completed, as per the Ministry, which said it targets to award projects in a total length of about 2,000 km and achieve completion in 550 km length during 2013-14.

The Phase B of the SARDP is at a conceptual stage, as per the Ministry.

The programme envisages providing road connectivity to all the district headquarters in the north eastern region by minimum 2-lane highway standards apart from providing road connectivity to backward and remote areas, areas of strategic importance and neighbouring countries.

RTH Minister Oscar Fernandes and Secretary Vijay Chhiber last week reviewed the progress of projects in presence of Chief Ministers of the states. They asked officials to expedite progress and find ways to speed up implementation of the projects.

The Minister said the government was serious about developing infrastructure and would carry out feasibility study for the newly declared NH-127 B. This will connect Srirampur to Phulbari via Dhubri including construction of a bridge over river Brahmaputra.

It will also invite Request for Qualification (RFQ) for widening NH-37 between Numaligarh – Jorhat – Demow – Dibrugarh to 4-lane standards on BOT ( Annuity) basis besides work on other projects. Chhibber emphasised that government is committed to accelerated development of infrastructure in the country in general and in the North East Region in particular. The developments come in the wake of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reviewing infrastructure projects in the North East Region in a meeting held on July 18. An Empowered Group of Ministers and a committee under the chairmanship of Cabinet Secretary have also been constituted to quickly find solutions for outstanding issues impeding the progress of projects.

Source-http://economictimes.indiatimes.com