Highways minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday expressed “helplessness” in putting projects pending due to environmental regulations and judicial stay on track in time, but asserted that the number of such projects has declined since the NDA government took over.
Responding to concerns expressed by some members in the Lok Sabha during Question Hour, he urged all political parties to adopt an “integrated approach” and said they should “formulate a resolution” vis-a-vis the 1980 Forest Act.
“Sometimes I am also helpless. Sometimes I am embarassed that I cannot give resolution," he said as Joice George, an independent member from Kerala, Gopal Shetty (BJP) and Kantilal Bhuria (Cong) among others spoke about highway projects related to their states.
Gadkari also said that projects costing Rs 25,000-30,000 crore were stuck now, compared with over Rs 3.8 lakh crore when the BJP-led government took over.
He said pending projects were a major reason for accidents and added that over 5 lakh accidents occur and 1.56 lakh die due to this.
“The situation is very challenging and problematic. We need environment, ecology and also development," he said, adding that the government had set up a committee under him to look into the issue.
Gadkari said a total of 18 projects, including 11 such from NHAI, are delayed now while as many as 120 NHAI projects alone were pending earlier.
Besides 11 NHAI projects, three in Telangana and one each in Assam, Bihar and Sikkim besides one of the border road organisation are delayed now.
To speed up these projects, he said the NHAI had held a meeting with wildlife organisations on January 19 to sort out the issue and such meetings will be held once every quarter.
In reply to another question, Gadkari said the government was planning to hire unemployed engineering graduates and diploma holders for maintenance works of national highways.
“We are going to recruit unemployed engineers and diploma holders for maintenance of national highways in all states,” he said during Question Hour.
The functioning of private companies are being reviewed regularly by project director, regional offices and at the headquarters of national highway authority of India (NHAI).
“The progress of work is being monitored regularly by NHAI by inspecting the project site by PD/IE/ consultant for ensuring timely completion of OMT project as per concession agreement. Damages are levied for delay in completion of works as per provision of contract,” he said.
Gadkari said maintenance and repair of road is being done by NHAI through Operation, Maintenance and Transfer concessionaire for long periods, preferably upto 9 years, and through operation and maintenance contracts for shorter period of upto 2 years).
(PTI)
