NHIDCL to work on Rs 34,300 cr projects in first tranche: Nitin Gadkari

NEW DELHI: National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation ( NHIDCL) would construct 3,586 kms of highways worth Rs 34,300 crore in tough terrains, including the North-East, in the first tranche, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said today.

A length of 10,000 kms of highways in difficult areas have been identified for development by National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL), a fully-owned company of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), Gadkari said while launching its logo, mission and vision here.

"It has been Prime Minister Modi's vision to boost infrastructure in the country as well as promote e-governance. NHIDCL, which is an e-company, would fast-track projects in difficult terrains and North-East and has been tasked to start 60 projects with an estimated cost of Rs 34,300 crore," Gadkari said.

He said NHICL, on the lines of National Highways Authority of India ( NHAI), will expedite projects mainly in North Eastern regions and strategic areas like in parts sharing international borders to boost economic activities besides job creations.

"The company also has plans to improve road connectivity in international trade corridor, by expanding about 500 kms of roads in the North Bengal and North Eastern region to enable efficient transport with South Asia Sub Regional Economic Corporation ( SASEC) countries," he said.

He added that the company also released its first tender pertaining to the improvement to two-lane NH standards of Akajan-Likabali-Bame road in Arunachal Pradesh with an estimated cost of Rs 272 crore.

Gadkari said his Ministry has also tasked the company to come out with a plan of port connectivity to the proposed new port at Sagar in West Bengal, to be built at a cost of Rs 12,000 crore.

A new alignment has been proposed for Uttarakhand Highways at a cost of Rs 11,000 crore, he said, adding, "NHIDCL is proposed to be paperless and an e-company which would operate through e-measures like tendering and e-monitoring and would be totally transparent."

NHIDCL, under MoRTH, for construction of national highway projects in border areas, was incorporated in July 2014 with the aim to fast-track highway projects which have been pending with the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) for several years.
Gadkari said financing will not be a problem for the projects and his Ministry has approached banks to provide loans in dollar for infrastructure projects which will reduce the interest rates to about 3 per cent from about 12 per cent.

"This cut in interest rate will result in improvement in road network," he said, adding that so far there has been no FDI in the projects of NHIDCL but efforts will be there to involve foreign investors.

He said the emphasis of the government is on capacity building and engaging local contractors and workers in the projects.

The Minister also stressed on reducing the cost of construction.

Asked about why there was a need to create a new company when NHAI was already there, Gadkari said NHAI was overburdened with work and NHIDCL will focus on North-East projects.

"The progress of work in North-East was not satisfactory and NHIDCL will focus on expediting projects," he said.

Gadkari added that once the North-East work is expedited, the company will be engaged in works in Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttrakhand etc.

Talking about progress of the Ministry, he said Delhi-Jaipur Highway work, pending for long, will be completed before June this year.

He added that the department had awarded projects worth about Rs 70,000 crore for 5,000 kms recently and was committed to build 30 kms of roads a day.

Gadkari also unveiled the logo of the company, designed by Prashant Pangarkar, selected among entries received in an all India level competition.

The Minister also released NHIDCL's website www. nhidcl.com and unveiled the company's e-book.

Gadkari said the mission of the company is to be a "professional company which works in most efficient and transparent manner and designs, develops and delivers infrastructure projects in a time bound basis for maximising benefits to all stakeholders."

Its vision is to be an instrument for creation and management of infrastructure of the highest standard with focus on the North-East and border areas and contribute significantly towards nation building.