Govt needs Rs 4 lk cr funding to push stalled highway projects

Government needs about Rs 4 lakh crore, including borrowings of about Rs 1.53 lakh crore, in the next four years to complete stalled highways projects under its flagship road building programme.
Government has reviewed stalled road projects under different phases of the National Highways Development Project (NHDP) and directed NHAI to focus on completion of on-going projects and evolve innovative financing models, Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways P Radhakrishnan told Lok Sabha in a written reply.
NHAI has also been asked to strive for regular bilateral or multi-lateral funding and private participation on high priority projects, the minister said.

"On the basis of this revised work plan and considering its cost alongwith the revised parameters for the actual cost of land acquisition, funds requirement has now been estimated at about Rs 2,37,000 crore and borrowings at about Rs 1,53,000 crore over a period from 2015-16 to 2019-20," Radhakrishnan said.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had earlier estimated fund requirement of about Rs 4.11 lakh crore, including borrowings of Rs 1.80 lakh crore, by 2030-31 for awarding balance length of NHDP by 2015-16.
"However, due to economic downturn and various other reasons, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) could not award the project as targeted. Therefore, a revised work plan has been drawn up as to award the implementable balance length of NHDP by 2016-17," the Minister said.

The projects reviewed by government included Rs 1,082 crore project for four-laning of Bahrampur-Farakka stretch of NH 34, Rs 3,039 crore project for six-laning of Gurgaon-Kotputli-Jaipur highways under NH-8 and Rs 424 crore four-laning of Gwalior-Jhansi stretch on NH 75.