The National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation ltd (NHIDCl) is going to invest about Rs38,490.84 crore in road and infrastructure development projects in seven North-Eastern States in the days to come.
NHIDCl Managing Director Anand Kumar, while addressing a major infrastructure conclave organised by leading industry body, PHD Chamber of Commerce, here on Friday, said the out of the total projects most of the projects would be concentrated in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
While 23 of the projects will be in Arunachal Pradesh, 19 such projects are in Assam, he said, adding that Manipur and Meghalaya has 11 and 9 projects respectively followed by another eight projects in Sikkim, seven projects in Tripura and four projects in Nagaland.
There are also three projects in Mizoram for which the Detailed Project Report (DPR) are being prepared and are in advanced stages, he said.
Kumar said out of the 19 projects in Assam, the NHIDCl has already awarded ten projects to contractors. While four such projects would be awarded to contractors by December this year, the Detailed Project Report (DPR) would be completed by late next year for the remaining five projects.
“The 19 projects in Assam would be completed by 2020 involving a total investment of Rs10,000 crore for which the land acquisition and forest clearances are being facilitated by the Centre and the State Government.
Kumar, however, lamented the slow speed of land acquisition and forest clearances process and urged the Assam Government to speed up the process so that the projects could be completed on time.
Kumar said the land acquisition and forest clearances for the ten awarded projects in Assam would be the responsibility of the NHIDCl, which was being facilitated at a faster pace in consultation with functionaries of the State of Assam. He added the NHIDCl had been trying to engage the local contractor for roads and highways construction in the entire Northeast so that there were employment and business opportunities for local population.
Senior vice president of the PHD Chamber, Mahesh Gupta also welcomed NHIDCl initiative to transform the entire Northeast with world class roads and highways as it this infrastructure that would facilitate and fast pace the investment scenario in the region.