Delays in environment nods blocking road projects: Nath

Miffed by roadblocks being created in the name of forest and environmental clearances for the development of highways, Transport Minister Kamal Nath today said even the roads constructed 100 years ago are not being upgraded due to the hurdles.

"There are roads, which are existing for hundred-two hundred years. There has been increase in traffic volume. If we expand the same, Forest Act comes in the way.. Either we expand it or close the road," Nath said, while addressing Economic Editors' Conference here.

There is a dire need for a standard procedure for clearance of such projects and the matter has been raised before an Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM), Nath said.

Citing example of a road passing through Rajaji National Park, near Dehradun, the Transport Minister said the widening of the existing two lane road could not be undertaken due to the impediments created in the name of Forest Act.

"The EGoM will meet shortly to prepare the required norms for such projects," Transport Secretary R S Gujral said.

According to a ministry paper, circulated for the conference, road projects which pass through a National Park or sanctuary, require approval of National Board of Wildlife even for very first step like undertaking survey.

This causes delay as the Board meets only once in three months, the paper said. Nath said other problems causing delays in road projects included land acquisition and shifting of utilities.

Nath said the biggest infrastructure deficit was road deficit but his government was trying to bridge it and had awarded 66 projects in the last fiscal as compared to only eight in 2008-09.

By the year end, work on 25,000 km of highways will be under way, he said, adding that the target of building 20 km of roads a day will be achieved shortly. At present it is 12 km a day.

The minister said that in the last 10 months, the department has tied up funds worth Rs 36,000 crore.

He said his Ministry had demanded additional funds for repair of roads damaged in the wake of unprecedented rains and landslides in different parts of the country.

"This year we had unprecedented rains and landslides in different parts of the country. We have approached for additional funding from the Finance Ministry for maintenance of roads. We are hoping this will come in the supplementary demand in Parliament during the winter session," Nath said.

Later, Roads Secretary Gujral said that out of Rs 3,400 crore, Rs 1,000 crore has been sought for the overall maintenance and Rs 1,650 for roads other than those covered under National Highways Development Project. Besides, Rs 700 crore has been sought from central roads fund and Rs 50 crore for repair of bridges, he added.