NHAI to relax norms for projects in Maoist-hit states
National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will soon relax its norms while issuing fresh contracts for the road construction projects in Jharkhand and other Maoist-hit states. Union minister of road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari, while addressing media through a video conference from Delhi, said in some pockets of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra, several road construction projects have been held-up for almost two decades now.
Clarifying that the fresh contracts would be doled out in small packages he said that they too comes from a state (Maharashtra) with a red corridor and that they cannot go ahead with the same yardstick for completing road projects in such areas.
He further stated that they are going to conduct a contractors’ workshop, provide subsidy on machinery and try to engage local youth. Gadkari admitted that special training and mobilization of advance funds is the need of the hour to get on with the road construction work.
The fresh contracts for the region of Jharkhand and other Maoist-hit states will be reviewed and finalised in some days, although dates have not been stated.
Source: The Times of India
Build-Operate-Transfer, Engineering, Engineering Procurement and Construction, National Highways Authority of India, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), NHAI, NHAI projects
