From highways connecting once-remote regions to aviation networks carrying millions, India's infrastructure story is one of transformation.
The government had planned to complete the bidding process and award the final contract for these projects by December 2008. An official from the National Highway Authority of India said, "Now that PPPAC had given approval to these 21 highway projects, we will be speeding up the bidding process."
Infrastructure associations such as the National Highway Builders' Association say that interest rates on loans for road projects need to fall to 8-9 per cent for projects to become viable. Currently interest rates are hovering between 13 per cent and 16 per cent. The NHBA's Director General M Murli said that traffic projections made by the National Highways Authority of India should be a realistic figure.
23% increase for Highways: The allocation during the current year to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for the National Highways Development Programme (NHDP) has been stepped up by 23 per cent over the 2008-09 (BE).
National highways in remote areas, intermediate and single roads are all set to be two laned, with the government having identified 5,000-km of such roads for upgradation.
After twice revising its deadline from the original December 2004 to the latest December 2006, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) officials say that till date it is only 94.4 per cent complete.
Apart from this, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs also gave its approval for starting work on the fifth phase of the National Highway Development Programme.
To give a new thrust to the National Highway Development Programme, the government has decided to pump in Rs 20,000 crore (Rs 200 billion) for six-laning of 3,000 km highways under phase-V of the programme in 2007-08.
In what could be a shot in the arm for the National Highway Development Programme, the National Highway Authority of India is all set to receive a windfall of Rs 471 crore
Delays in the National Highway Development Programme are likely to cost the government dear with the project costs escalating by a staggering Rs 50,500 crore (Rs 505 billion).
Golden Quadrilateral to now cost Rs 35,000 crore.\n\n
Once the scheme is implemented 70-80 per cent of the freight would move along national highways as against the current 40 per cent, says Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari.
The thrust will be on improving connectivity in economic corridors and remote and border areas with a view to hike trade and enable faster movement of cargo.
Rajnath Singh, under whose stewardship the Bharatiya Janata Party has stormed to power with its highest-ever tally, took charge as the Union home minister.
A number of significant linkages between rainfall and economic outcomes have policy implications.
India is set for decent growth in 2015.
More than legal and illegal mining of sand, the issue which stares us in the face is sustainable sand mining, says Gopal Krishna
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