Highways projects worth Rs 19,000 cr to be awarded soon

The Road Transport and Highways Ministry is all set to award 58 projects worth Rs 19,000 crore for building over 7,000 km roads in various states.

Most of the projects relate to converting existing roads into two-lanes in states such as Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Kerala, Rajasthan, Uttranchal, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Himachal Pradesh.

"Ministry of Road Transport and Highways will award these projects either by itself or through the respective state governments over a period of one year," the Ministry said.

The Ministry has also decided to prequalify the applicants for a period of one year and  establish their score and networth in order to streamline and simplify the process of qualification of applicants for individual projects.

 

Earlier Road Transport and Highways Minister Kamal Nath had said that road projects worth Rs 2 lakh crore would be awarded in the next two years.

"Road projects worth Rs 1,00,000 crore would be awarded this year and Rs 1,00,000 crore in the next year," Nath said last month. The minister had added that roads were an important part of infrastructure development in the country as they provide domestic economic stimulus.