WBHDC engages IIT-Khargpur,NIC and Rites to map state highways

Newly formed state agency will soon award contracts for 50-km stretch of roads for four-laning in 2 parts worth around Rs 560 crore

West Bengal Highway Development Corporation Limited (WBHDC) has involved IIT-Kharagpur, National Informatics Centre (NIC) and Rites to prepare a detailed web-based GIS mapping of around 4,500 km of highways in the state.     "We are taking help of IIT-Kharagpur and agencies including NIC and Rites to create a detailed web-based GIS mapping of the entire 4,500 km state highways by March 2014," WBHDC managing director Manoj Kumar Agarwal told PTI.     

This will help us to know the exact situation at the ground level and plan accordingly, he said.     

The newly formed state agency will soon award contracts for 50-km stretch of roads for four-laning in two parts worth around Rs 560 crore, WBHDC sources said.     The corporation had identified the lowest bidder for the 22-km stretch between Dankuni to Chandernagore on NH 2, Agarwal said, adding for the stretch between Chandernagore to Borojaguli (Nadia district), the financial bids would be invited over the next fortnight.

The corporation has enough resources to finance these projects with Rs 700 crore equity in coffer, he said. Agarwal did not expect contracts over 100 km to be awarded within 2014 fiscal due to the forthcoming general elections.