“There is undoubtedly a delay but there is little that can be done about it. PPPAC has raised questions about various projects. While the approval criteria for every project was initiated with a good objective, it has ended up adding another layer of approval for projects, which means more delay,” added the official. The 6,273-km national highways targeted to be awarded this fiscal include 2,995-km of six-laning of Golden Quadrilateral under the National Highways Development Programme (NHDP) Phase-V, 2,224 km of NHDP III A and 1,054 km of NHDP III B, which envisages four-laning of stretches.

Only 1,734 km highways were awarded in 2006-07 compared to 4,740 km in 2005-06. The 6,273 km of highways to be awarded this year was the highest ever annual target for highways development.

Projects Pending

The delay in approval by Public Private Partnership Project Appraisal Committee is leading to a major slowdown

Rs 528-crore four-laning along the Muzaffarpur-Hardwar section, aimed at connecting Uttarakhand capital Dehradun to Delhi, Nagpur bypass and other sections in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh

135 km long Eastern Peripheral Expressway that is to form a mega ring road cum bypass road system around Delhi for interstate goods traffic