New Delhi: The Government of India has incurred an expenditure of Rs 24,805 crore towards development and maintenance of NHs in the State during the last five years and current year.
This was informed by Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Jairam Gadkari in Rajya Sabha today.
In a written reply to a question of BJD MP Debashish Samantaray, the Union Minister said highest Rs 5,948 crore was utilized for construction of new NHs and maintenance of existing NHs in Odisha during the financial year 2023-24 while Rs 5,336 crore spent during 2020-21 and Rs 4,643 crore during 2022-23.
Similarly, the Ministry has made an expenditure of Rs 4,510 crore during the financial year 2021-22 and Rs 3,355 crore during 2019-20, he said.
During the current financial year (till June), a total amount of Rs 1,013 crore has been utilized for NH projects in the State, Shri Gadkari said.
The Union Minister informed that Cuttack-Sambalpur project is primarily delayed on account of COVID, delay in land acquisition & clearances and financial crunch of contractor.
The work of Cuttack – Sambalpur section of National Highway (NH) – 55 has been taken up in three packages with an estimated cost of Rs 4,732.49 crore, of which expenditure of Rs 3,981.39 crore has been made so far, he stated.
Under package I, 4-laning of Cuttack – Angul Section of NH-55 (59.80 km) has been taken up with a total cost Rs 1108.62 crore, of which Rs 919.41 crore has been utilized in the project.
Similarly, out of the approved cost of Rs 1109.80 crore under package-II (51.80 km), the Ministry has already utilized Rs 840.09 crore.
The approved cost of package-III (150.86 km) is Rs 2514.07 crore, of which Rs 2221.89 crore has been utilized till date, he added.
On the delay of major other NH projects in the State, Shri Gadkari said development of NHs is a continuous process and several challenges are faced in project implementation.
The government has taken various initiatives for expediting projects on NHs in the country including the state of Odisha, like streamlining and expediting land acquisition, revamping Parivesh portal for forest and environment clearances, online approval of GAD of ROB/RUB from railways, review meetings at various levels with all stakeholders including State governments, he pointed out.
There are, at times, delays in completion of some NH projects due to delay in preconstruction activities, contractor’s financial problems, force majeure events, scarcity of construction materials, delay in quarry permission etc, the Minister said.