Half of large infra projects face cost, time overrun

More than half of the big infrastructure projects related to road transport and highways, power and railways are into cost and time overrun, the government informed Parliament today.
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation is monitoring 710 projects, including 510 projects of road transport and highways, power and railways sector.
"Of these 510 projects, 100 projects were showing time overruns and 175 projects were showing cost overruns with respect to their original project implementation schedules," Minister of State for Statistics and Programme Implementation V K Singh said in a written reply in Lok Sabha.
The Ministry monitors the central sector infrastructure projects costing Rs 150 crore and above on the basis of information furnished by project implementing agencies.

Steps such as on-line computerised monitoring system, setting up standing committees in ministries for fixation of responsibility for time and cost overruns, regular review of infrastructure projects by concerned ministries are among the steps taken to ensure timely and cost effective completion of projects, the Minister informed.
Besides, Central Sector Projects Coordination Committees have been set up in states under the chief secretaries for removal of bottlenecks and for facilitating the speedy implementation of major projects.