Centre flags critical issues in implementing NHAI projects 

It will not be possible to complete work in near future, says top official

The Union government has flagged some critical issues in the implementation of the ongoing and sanctioned projects of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in Tamil Nadu. It has called for the intervention of Chief Secretary V. Irai Anbu for an early and permanent solution.

In a note, Giridhar Aramane, Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, said the non-availability of borrow earth was the most critical issue faced by contractors. Referring to 45 ongoing and awarded projects, spanning over 1,572 km, that were delayed by the non-availability of burrow earth for want of permission from the district administration, he said 8.7 crore cubic metres of earth was required to take up embankment. 

“With the present system of granting permission by the State government, I am afraid, it would not be possible to complete these projects in the near future as many of them are already running behind schedule. I again seek your intervention to find a permanent solution to this most critical issue,” Mr. Aramane said, citing two letters which he had sent to Mr. Irai Anbu in September and December last.

While headway was made in expediting land acquisition and clearances, the issue of non-availability of borrow earth still remained unresolved, which badly affected the progress of the ongoing projects and led to non-commencement of some awarded projects, he said.

Mr. Aramane said that in the last 2-3 months, No Objection Certificates (NOCs) were issued by the State government for some proposals that were pending for more than 2-3 years. However, the NOCs for 9 proposals, involving 9 projects, were still pending. Structure work had to be constructed at the start of the project itself to complete the same along with the road work.

“The delay in granting NOC by the Public Works Department/Water Resources Department will have a cascading effect on other construction activities, and eventually, the projects get delayed. In fact, the State government has been requested to frame a policy for granting such NOCs/permission in a time-bound manner, which may be expedited,” the Union Secretary said.

In the widening of the 105-km Mamallapuram-Koonimedu stretch of the East Coast Road under Bharatmala Pariyojana, for which contract for two packages (62 km) was already awarded, the process of handing over the National Highways to the NHAI and issue of NOC transferring assets relating to the declared road/route to the Government of India had to be expedited. “I would like to reiterate that resolving the above issues are very vital for the timely implementation of National Highways projects in the State of Tamil Nadu,” he added.