Regulatory issues, land acquisition delay 112 NHAI projects

NEW DELHI: As many as 112 projects of the National Highways Authority of India ( NHAI) are running late on account of factors like delays in land acquisition and regulatory hurdles, Parliament was informed today.

"One hundred and twelve projects of NHAI are delayed beyond the scheduled date of completion. These include projects currently under implementation also," Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Mansukh Lal Mandaviya told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply.

The reasons for delay are land acquisition, utility shifting, non-availability of soil/aggregates, poor performance of contractors, delay in statutory clearances, public agitations and disputes, Mandaviya said.

The government has permitted one-time funds infusion to revive and physically complete languishing national highway projects under public-private partnership mode and also approved rationalised compensation to concessionaires in cases of delays not attributed to them to address funds crunch, he said.

"With a view to ameliorating the shortage of equity and improving liquidity, the government has also securitisation of future cash flow, deferment of premium... harmonious substitution in financially-stressed highway projects and 100 per cent equity divestment after two years of construction of all highway projects under PPP mode," he said.