The newly-formed corporation to develop road projects particularly in the North-East and other strategic areas sharing international borders has floated four bids within six months of its inception.
National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCl) has set March 11 as the deadline for receiving offers on the three projects for two-laning of about 100-kms of existing Hunli-Anini road in Arunachal Pradesh.
The NHIDCl has also invited tenders for upgrading and improving a stretch of 32.810 km on the Akajan-likabali-Bame road in Arunachal Pradesh to a two-lane National Highway.
“We have invited bids on Equipment-Procurement and Construction (EPC) basis, where the financial support for building the project will be given by the Government. The developer has to only build it and handover the project at the decided deadline,” said a senior official from the NHIDCl.
“Since work in the North-East has been very slow in the last five years for want of funds, experienced developers, and forest and environment clearances, we have floated smaller packages to ensure speedier construction,” he said.
So far, work under the Special Accelerated Road Development Programme (SARDP-NE) has been very slow. Figures with the Centre show that the daily average of road construction in the North-East in the last six years calculates to 0.52 kilometres.
In 2012-13, Ministry of Roads could build only 260 km, while 2011-12 was worse with only 150 kms of newly-built roads. 2010-11 fared still worse with only 146 kms of new roads built in the entire year.
The NHIDCl is expecting new projects to be completed within the end of this year.
In the first phase, the NHIDCl plans to construct 3,586 km of highways worth Rs34,300 crore in tough terrains, including the North-East.
In all, the Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways has identified about 10,000-km of highways in difficult areas for development by NHIDCl.
“The NHIDCl has been entrusted with expediting projects mainly in North-Eastern regions and strategic areas like in parts sharing international borders to ensure steady roads,” said the official.