New Delhi: At least 87 NH projects are running behind schedule, and in some cases the delay is more than seven years. Unhappy with the tardy progress of highway construction, the highways ministry has started a state-wise review of progress — starting with Uttar Pradesh — to expedite the unfinished task that has led to huge time overrun and cost escalation.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee examining the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, 2011 (LARR Bill) is likely to come down “strongly” against Clause 98 that seeks to exempt 16 separate specific Central Acts that account for about 95 per cent of land acquisition for the Central government.

TARDY PROGRESS Inquiry committee of road ministry finds World Bank Institutional Integrity Unit report on Lucknow-Muzaffarpur highway project true
Aprobe panel of the road ministry has recommended a CBI investigation into allegations of fraud against private contractors involved in the Lucknow-Muzaffarpur highway project.

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to allow a controversial US ship to head to Alang in Gujarat for dismantling after an NGO pointed out that the vessel was required to give prior intimation of its decontamination. The ship, Oriental Nicety, was refused permission to enter Indian waters after NGO Research Foundation for Science pointed out that the credentials of the ship were doubtful as the ship itself was a hazardous waste. Earlier called Exxon Valdez, the ship was involved in one of the worst oil spills off Alaska in 1986.

GUWAHATI: The Assam Government has announced a special scheme of Rs 10 crore for the development of inland water service and road communication in Dhubri district which recently witnessed one of the worst ferry mishaps in the State.

State Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain, while addressing a press conference here on Sunday, said that Rs 10 crore scheme was part of the Chief Minister’s special programme. “Under the special scheme, ferry services, road communication, ghats and a dispensary in Dhubri district will be developed,” he said.

Members of Yamuna Jiye Abhiyaan, a civil society consortium working in the area of restoration of the Yamuna and its various tributaries, has written to Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways Dr. C. P. Joshi stating that “they were alarmed by the fact that the Ministry had recently sanctioned proposals from the Delhi Government to turn a few of the city drains into roads''.

NEW DELHI: The Prime Minister's Office will decide whether the country will have fuel efficiency standards for cars or not. After four years of wrangling and a final draft policy being prepared, the decision has been left to the PMO in view of the "sensitivities" involved after auto manufacturers opposed the draft and demanded severe dilution of the proposed norms.

New Delhi: When the government approves a project, it is to be awarded in one go. But the Tuticorin Port Trust (TPT) decided to go against the established norm and split a contract. It is only after four years that the port trust is making amends, and the shipping ministry has sought the Union Cabinet’s approval. Sources in the ministry said that substantial portion of the project has been released by the port.

Ministry Finds It Hard To Award Deals For 2,609km
To meet its target of awarding 7,300 km of national highways during the current financial year, the road transport and highways ministry has sought exemption from seeking mandatory clearance of the Public Private Partnership Accounts Committee (PPPAC) before starting the bidding process for at least 1,300 km.

With the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM), headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, on Wednesday not approving the procedural relaxations for floating of tenders for roads and highways, the Road Transport and Highways (RTH) Ministry’s target of awarding projects for 7,300 km for the current financial year is unlikely to be met. As a result of this, the UPA Government’s target of constructing 20 km road per day will also be hard to achieve.