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$589-m IBRD loan for NHDP

Our Bureau

NEW DELHI, July 2

THE `Golden Quadrilateral' is targeted for completion by December 2003, while the north-south and east-west corridors will be completed by 2007, the Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways, Major Gen B.C Khanduri, said here on Monday.

Addressing members of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee attached to his Ministry, Major-General Khanduri, said that the total length involved in the Golden Quadrilateral connecting Delhi-Kolkata-Chennai-Mumbai is 5,834 km. Of this, a length of 811 km is already four-laned and a length of 2,433 km is under implementation.

The remaining length would be awarded at the rate of 1,200 km per year from 2002-03. World Bank-IV loan amounting to $589 million has recently been negotiated for the implementation of NHDP. The Government has decided, that to start with, the entire mone y is to be made available from the road cess and will be primarily be utilised for the Golden Quadrilateral.

The Minister said that it is proposed to take up the new development works amounting to about Rs 1,400 crore on various national highways in the country during 2001-02. Between April-June 2001, developmental work amounting to about Rs 310 crore has been sanctioned on various national highways in the country and work amounting to Rs 421 crore are under process.

The Minister added that the availability of funds for the maintenance and repair of national highways was about 45 per cent of the requirement as per the revised norms. For the current year, Rs 749 crore has been made available for the maintenance and re pair of national highways.

The State-wise allocation of funds for the routine maintenance and repairs as per the requirements and availability of funds has already been finalised for the year 2001-02 and communicated to the states.

Members were informed that in order to provide comforts to the road users, longer length of national highways are being covered for improvement of riding quality. Apart from NHDP, the maintenance of about 44,000 km of national highways is being done from the funds available from Budget. During 1999-2000, a length of about 2,400 km was covered under improvement of riding quality programme.

A length of 5,500 km was improved from non-plan funds. About 6,000 km was covered during 2000-01. Improvement of 2,800 km of national highways is proposed to be taken up during 2001-02. Currently, 19 projects costing about Rs 947 crore are under implemen tation on BOT basis, the committee was informed.