32 NHAI's projects costing Rs 17,000 crore delayed in TN
These projects were awarded to contractors from 2018 to 2022 and were originally scheduled to be completed within a year to 30 months.
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CHENNAI: As many as 32 National Highway projects in the state including six/four laning, construction of grade separators and flyover costing Rs 17,111 crore are running behind the schedule.
In his reply to DMK Rajya Sabha MP P Wilson, Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari listed the projects stretching to 985 km facing delays.
"The original cost of the delayed projects is Rs 17,112 crore. The increase in the cost of these projects due to delay in project completion is subject to site/local/project specific factors or other factors including price escalation during the project time cycle and the actual cost increase is known only on final completion of the project, " he said.
These projects were awarded to contractors from 2018 to 2022 and were originally scheduled to be completed within a year to 30 months.
For instance, six-laning of 34 km of Sriperumbudur to Karaipettai section of NH-48 and Karaipettai to Walajapet of NH-48 were awarded in February and May 2019. The project costing Rs 1595 crore was scheduled to be completed in 24 months in 2021.
Similarly, four laning of NH-32 from Sattanathapuram to Nagapattinam section was awarded in October 2020. The project cost to lay a 55.8 km stretch was Rs 1872 crore.
The other projects include four-laning of Vikravandi - Sethiathope section of NH-45C, four-laning of Sethiathope - Cholapuram section of NH-45C, four-laning of Cholapuram - Thanjavur section of NH-45C, four Laning of Chettikulam - Natham section, four Laning of Vadipatti – Thamaraipatti section (Madurai Ring Road) and four laning of Kamalapuram - Oddanchatram section, the minister said.
NHAI officials said that the delay of the project was due to various reasons including land acquisition issues, forest department clearances and non-availability of borrow earth permission given that the water bodies were brimming due to heavy rainfall in recent months. "We are reviewing the works periodically to complete them on time, " the official added.