The Union government has decided to relax norms for road developers in extremist-hit states such as Odisha, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh in view of security threat and slow execution of projects in these areas, an official said. The development follows completion of barely 2,300 km of roads in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas till date out of proposed 5,477 km till 2012.
A Road, Transport and Highways Ministry official said that the government has decided to relax eligibility conditions for developers like equipment capability, sub contracting for non-mechanised work and qualification criteria to attract more builders in such areas. The official said there was no response from contractors in some areas of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Maharashtra out of security concerns.
Sources said Bastar region in Chhattisgarh, Gadchirolly in Maharashtra, Malkangiri in Odisha and Palamu, Garhwa, Dumka and Simdega in Jharkhand were particularly impacted by it where contractors had even abandoned some projects midway.
The official said the expenditure incurred on about 2,300 km of projects so far was about Rs 2,700 crore out of a budget of Rs 7,724 crore for 5,477 km. The development of roads under the project is likely to be completed by March 2015, he added.
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