The current levels of stress have been harsh on the road sector as a whole, indicating that there could be further deterioration in credit quality. While describing the current concerns of the toll roads sector, R Venkataraman believes the various steps taken by NHAI may not greatly help the ailing sector.
Tag: Infrastructure Today
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How the cookie crumbles
With escalated construction costs excarberating to halved traffic growth projections, M Murali explains the startling fact that delays stood at an average of 73 per cent beyond the original timelines.
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New MCA will have four changes, including dispute resolution
BK Chaturvedi, Member of the Planning Commission of India, is in the hot seat. It was his draft of the original MCA in roads that made all the difference to PPP in roads. Now itĂ´s time to debug that document, he tells Garima P.
Have investors been withdrawing on account of the existing Model Concession Agreement (MCA) for highways?
Quite a few people have been attacking the MCA saying that provisions need to be changed. Now that the economy is not doing well, it is easy to blame the MCA for
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ADB studies
IndiaĂ´s east coast economic corridor On the Indian East Coast economic corridor, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is carrying out analytical work. The study will examine the kind of infra-ĂÂĄstructure and institutional investments needed to drive manufacturing-led growth that will create jobs and leverage local, national, regional and global opportunities, according to an ADB release.
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Panel suggestions to bring relief to hway developers
The C Rangarajan Committee is expected to suggest reduction and deferment of premium to be paid by road developers to National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). Hence, with the panel measures, several highway developers are set to get major relief. Rangarajan committee is likely to recommend that for six-laning of highway projects, at least 25 per cent reduction in annual premium payment to NHAI during construction period and about 50 per cent during subsequent years.
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Govt may increase defect liability period for roads
The government could make builders liable for defects on the main carriageway for five years instead of the present two years. This measure has been said to be taken by the government to ensure that roads are maintained better in the city. The governments proposed move comes after Prime Minister Manmohan SinghĂ´s directive to address issues of quality of roads built under the EPC model.
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Punjabs road connectivity plans
Punjab governmentĂ´s Ă´Draft Master Plan 2031Ă´has elicited the wide range public opinion that better road connectivity of Chandigarh with Mohali and Mullanpur was the main concern of Punjab people. Hearing on the objections/suggestions pertaining to the draft Master Plan 2031 was held on 26 November. The Punjab government suggested that the road network should be strengthened by construction of additional roads.
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Kerala road policy
Kerala Public Works Department is mulling to come up with its State Road Policy to develop a sustainable road network which would meet the traffic requirements of the future. Draft of the policy will be an improvised version of the one prepared four years back. The formulation of Kerala Road Policy will be discussed at the high-level meet of PWD officials.
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SEZ project development
About 30 Special Economic Zone (SEZ) developers have been given six months to one year more time by the Union government to execute their projects. The decision was taken by an inter-ministerial Board of Approval (BoA) chaired by Commerce Secretary SR Rao in its meeting. Requesting for more time to implement their projects, Posco-India, Unitech Infracon and Lodha Dwellers have also made their requisition to the government.
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Panel to check traffic
To ascertain the accuracy of road developersĂ´ claims of financial stress due to lower toll revenues, a Union government panel has called for a traffic survey on 47 highways. The panel has been appointed by the Union Cabinet to examine bailout demands of highway developers. The panel is headed by C Rangarajan, Chairman of the Prime MinisterĂ´s Economic Advisory Council.