The Centre is envisaging an investment of $80 bn in the construction of roads and highways over the next four years,half of which is likely to come from private and foreign investors,Union Road Transport and Highways minister,Kamal Nath said on Thursday. India also plans to put up 120 projects,covering 12,000-kilometres of roads for bidding in the next 8-10 months,he said. "There are projects under the process of tendering at present. We plan to bid out 12,000-kilometres of roads in the next 8-10-months,which means there will be 120 projects up for bidding. This is likely to bring in an investment of $ 20-billion," Nath told reporters here. "Over the next 4-years,we are looking at an investment of $80-billion in construction of roads and highways. Of this,USD 42-billion is expected from the private sector," he said. The Minister said these funds would flow into India in the form of debt,equity,pension funds and insurance funds. He said the Centre is also considering a proposal to relax External Commercial Borrowing norms (ECBs).
