Road projects may soon be bid out as complete development packages and not just as a simple highway construction exercise. The ministry of road transport and highways is mulling over the ‘Swiss challenge’ model for developing roads under the National Highways Development Programme (NHDP) by way of which the developer will not only build and maintain the road but also create motels, eateries, service stations and malls alongside the road.

According to the plan, the model will be first tried out on a pilot basis on two or three projects. “The ministry is considering one of the expressways to be bid out in such a manner,” a senior government official told The Indian Express.

Under the system, a construction company or developer having varied experience will be appointed by the government to prepare a detailed study-cum-plan of the entire stretch to be developed along the road. The company will then propose a development model for the land adjacent to the national highway or expressway (as the case may be) and will quote a project cost.

Once this is done, the government vetted development plan for the stretch would be opened to bidders as is the case with other public private partnership projects (PPP) in the road sector. The lowest bid will get priority with the original planner having a right to refusal. “The first right of refusal will remain with the original planner through out the process even if the project cost quoted is lower than that of others,” the official explained.

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