As many as 489 road projects across India, initially scheduled for completion by March 2025, have been delayed due to challenges related to land acquisition, forest and wildlife clearances, and railway approvals, according to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.
In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha on July 30, the Minister for Road Transport and Highways said the government is working closely with state governments and relevant stakeholders to resolve these bottlenecks and expedite project completion.
Gadkari noted that several delayed projects have experienced cost overruns, driven by factors such as higher compensation for land and structures, price escalation, GST implications, additional vehicular and pedestrian underpasses on public demand, and design changes for bridges to comply with railway standards.
“In cases of inordinate delays, where further progress is not feasible under existing contracts, the projects are either terminated or foreclosed and subsequently re-awarded, with or without modification in their configuration,” he added.
Responding to a separate query, the minister said that national highways are constructed as per Indian Road Congress (IRC) specifications. He stated that the maximum design speeds are 120 km/h for expressways and 100 km/h for national highways, depending on the terrain.
New source: The Hindu
