Govt clears Rs. 9,774cr highway projects

Mumbai : The Union Government in a recent decision has cleared six road projects stretching across similar number of states under the public private partnership (PPP) model entailing an investment of Rs. 9,774cr. The projects in question, which were sent by the transport ministry to the Public Private Partnership Approval Committee (PPPAC), spearheaded by Economic Affair Secretary R Gopalan, for its prior approval, cover states including Rajasthan, Gujarat, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

According to transport ministry sources the projects, which recently secured approval included six laning of Kishangarh Udaipur Ahmedabad section of NH-79A, NH 79 and NH 8 passing through Rajasthan and Gujarat involving Rs. 5,387.30cr investments. Apart from this, they also include four laning of Lucknow-Sultanpur section of NH 56 in Uttar Pradesh at a cost of Rs. 1,013cr and also four laning of Angul Sambalpur section of NH 42 in Orissa involving an investment of Rs. 1,220.32cr.

Similarly, the road projects, which also get green signal of the PPPAC included four laning of Birmitrapur to Barkote section in Orissa at an investment of Rs. 778.15cr and four laning with paved shoulders of Bhopal to Biaora section in MP incurring a cost of Rs. 704.26cr and also four laning of Rewa to MP and UP border of NH 7 involving an investment of Rs. 770.32 crore. Elaborating on complete details the PPPAC in a statement claimed that it has to date approved 226 projects entailing a total investment of Rs. 224,464.51cr ever since it was set up in 2006.