Why Indian roads are always work-in-progress
On a road trip from Mumbai, the ‘go-slow’ signposts are commonplace on the National Highway 48 (formerly NH4) that connects the financial capital with Bengaluru. The first 200km of Thane-Satara stretch has 16 fly-overs under construction currently, some moving at a snail’s pace, some others abandoned midway, a few pillars built by the contractor ensuring perennial traffic mess on the busy highway. In India, building roads, flyovers and bridges is a never-ending process. Apart from the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and contractors appointed by it, state public works departments and municipal corporations are busy building roads. Some roads take several years to complete and by then, it’s time to start widening them, considering India’s vehicle population growth. Then, monsoons and unusually high heavy-duty traffic take a toll on the road, some bridges and flyovers remain constantly under repair. The work-in-progress signboards, an inevitable part of Indian roads, should, in fact, read ‘work-never-ends’. Nearly a decade after the Vajpayee government executed Golden Quadrilateral project and linked Indian cities with the hinterland, India is attempting a re-run of the dream project. The road transport minister Nitin Gadkari’s recent claim that India has built 8,144 km of roads in 2016-17 and awarded another 16,800km of roads to be built, creating a ‘world record’ of sorts, should definitely cheer every Indian. He said efforts are being made to further improve the road construction target to 40km a day, up from the current 23km. This, according to Gadkari, is several times what the previous UPA government achieved when it was in power. But as you travel along highways, what strikes you is the slow-paced road development, with the poor land acquisition, unkind court orders and cash-strapped contractors all contributing to the delay. Bankers are wary of lending to contractors even after the government conceived the new hybrid-annuity model (HAM) to minimise risks for promoters. HAM is a combination of engineering-procurement-construction (EPC) and build-operate-transfer (BOT) formats, with the government and the private companies sharing project cost in 40:60 ratio. The government also shoulders the responsibility of revenue collection. While most of our highways are still 2-laned or 4-laned, and always try to catch up with the increasing vehicle density, countries like China go with 12-lane highways and more. For us, access-controlled, high-tech roads are still a long way off. Liquor shops are shut now, but there are stray dogs and unattended cattle all along our highways, threatening the seamless journey. On the NH66 that connects Goa to Mangalore, cement mixers and mud excavators are busy at work, slowing your pace. Mumbai-based IRB Infrastructure, which won the mega contract to widen the 189-km stretch from Kundapur to the Goa border, has sized down several hills – either for laying the road or amassing mud needed for road widening. The Rs 2,400 crore project, with Rs 536.22 crore in viability gap funding from NHAI, was awarded in August 2012 and was to be completed in 910 days. But nearly five years later, the road work has not reached anywhere. Like in every delayed project, users on NH66 will end up paying a heavy toll for a longer tenure to cover the cost overrun. Joaquin Benoit Authentic Jersey
NewsMail Today facbook twitter googlepluse NHAI toll guidelines being violated in Delhi
The three municipalities of Delhi are not just jeopardizing lives by setting up crude, antiquated and unscientific toll booths, but violating many laws such as those set by NHAI (National Highway Authority of India) in the process as well. The NHAI, which is responsible for collecting toll on all 87 highways of the country, has also set guidelines for civic toll collections in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and all other metropolitan cities. The ‘Toll Rules’ under NHAI clearly say that a separate lane has to be created for ‘commercial vehicles’ which need to be taxed. In the case of Delhi, these are the ‘yellow plate’ bearing taxis, mini trucks, freight lorries and other heavy vehicles. There should be lanes for essential commodities and ambulances for quick movement, two-wheelers and three-wheelers as well. Under no situation, there should be obstruction in the way of private vehicles which are not to be taxed, NHAI says. Further, in many cities, there has been a growing demand that in case of big traffic jams, vehicles should be allowed to pass for free. ‘RUFFIANS WHO JUMP IN THE ROAD SANS ID PROOF’ In Mumbai, in July 2016, Public Works Department (MSRDC) minister Eknath Shinde, said in the state legislative council, “People have no objection in paying toll but don’t like waiting in the queue for hours. Toll nakas will be asked to leave vehicles without collecting toll at the time of heavy traffic congestion,” Shinde said in the Upper House replying to a call attention motion by Congress legislator Sanjay Dutt and NCP MLAs. Usman Nasim, researcher on sustainable mobility at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said, “NHAI also has clear guidelines for how a toll booth has to be operated and the staff there. For example, it says the toll operators must have photo ID cards and a proper uniform. Also, they must have electronic devices which issue printed slips.” “Unfortunately what we have here right now are ruffians who jump in the middle of the road sans any ID proof. They tear a piece of paper to give you as a slip. SDMC, which has appointed one toll operator then sublets it to another which outsources the work to local goons, and that is how it goes,” he added. There is also no system in place for drivers who want to get monthly or annual passes made so as to make traffic movement quick and easy, he pointed out. ENVIRONMENTAL COMPENSATION CHARGE Not just that, the MCD toll booths are making a mockery of the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) Environmental Compensation Charge (ECC) too. The court fixed a heavy ECC or green cess on trucks coming into Delhi to discourage them from passing through the national Capital, and thereby reduce the diesel-fumes pollution created by them. However, the crude toll booths are creating heavy traffic jams, as seen on DND Flyway, leading to even more fuel consumption and pollution. The Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) has conducted several studies showing idling vehicles waste more fuel and produce much more Carbon Dioxide at traffic intersections during long traffic jams. Elandon Roberts Authentic Jersey
Highway runs into high-tension hurdle
Major irregularities have come to light in the land acquisition process for the Central Peripheral Road (CPR).For the construction of the 3.2-km long central peripheral road, Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda) had acquired 102 acres of land and provided a compensation of Rs 700 crore to oustees. But now it has been found that the land acquired for the project has several high- tension electric towers all along the length of the proposed road. Shifting of these electric towers to clear way for the road will delay the project and escalate the proposed cost, according to officials.This revelation has raised questions over the way in which land was identified and acquired, and even compensation was paid without due diligence. “The presence of high tension tower on the land was not highlighted during the land acquisition process and it came to light only when Huda started planning the design and location of utilities like main carriageway, service road, sewerage and drainage along the proposed road,” said a source in the urban development department.The work on construction of the road, which was expected to start soon, now cannot be started till the high tension lines have been shifted. Huda held a meeting with the electricity department on Tuesday for relocating the HT lines.”Electricity department has demanded 30 metre of land along the proposed road for shifting of the HT line. We have acquired 90 metre wide land, if 30 meter is given to the electricity department then we will be left with just 60 metre which would not be sufficient for the construction of the road,” said Huda administrator Yashpal Yadav “Maximum we can give 8.75 metre to the electricity department. T.J. Tynan Womens Jersey
BJP’s Belt and Road myopia
Ram Madhav is a learned and well-read leader of the BJP. At a time when the ruling party has chosen to outsource most of its public communication to jingoistic, ill-informed and, often, bad-mouthing propagandists on social media, its national general secretary provides clear arguments to defend the party and the Modi government in the mainstream media. His article in this newspaper (‘Turning down China’, IE, May 17) on why India has opposed China’s Belt and Road Initiative (B&RI) is no exception. However, it fails to take a holistic view of the risks and opportunities. First, Madhav is wrong in concluding that turning down China’s invitation to participate in the Belt and Road Forum convened by President Xi Jinping in Beijing on May 14-15 — and the undiplomatic manner in which it was turned down — “does not affect bilateral relations adversely”. The statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs may please the ultra-nationalist domestic audience. But one has to be naïve to believe it has not introduced an avoidable sour note in India-China ties. Second, Madhav, like others shaping the Modi government’s China policy, seems unwilling to recognise that it is in India’s own vital and long-term national interest to join B&RI and become an influential player in it. Actually, B&RI provides India a rare opportunity to play a leadership role in the infrastructural and economic integration of South Asia, the most populous but least integrated region in the world. National interest, narrowly defined and myopically viewed, has led the Modi government to oppose B&RI. The same criterion of national interest, understood from a holistic and long-range perspective, suggests how India-China cooperation can work to India’s — and entire South Asia’s — advantage. Madhav rightly concedes that “Belt and Road is China’s most ambitious initiative in history”. He accepts that this is an “infrastructure project of gigantic proportions”, which has brought together “the biggest constellation of nations in the 21st century”, has “seen the signing of contracts worth more than a trillion US dollars”. If so, is India not isolating itself by staying out of the “constellation of nations”? The main reason for India’s non-participation in B&RI is legitimate and fully understandable. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a “flagship” project under B&RI, passes through Gilgit Baltistan (GB) in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Therefore, New Delhi is right in telling Beijing that CPEC violates India’s sovereignty. But herein lies the inability and unwillingness of the Modi government — and of all mainstream Indian political parties — to see the big picture: India can never gain PoK, just as Pakistan can never gain the Indian side of Kashmir. War cannot settle this issue one way or the other. It can only produce catastrophic consequences for the two nuclear-armed neighbours. Unless we want this problem to remain alive for eternity, our two countries have to find a peaceful and negotiated settlement. This calls for new, innovative and bold thinking that guarantees win-win outcomes for both India and Pakistan, and for Kashmiris on both sides of the divide. India’s participation in B&RI, besides bringing huge opportunities for our economy, opens up space for precisely this kind of creative solution to the main dispute between India and Pakistan. Here are my four specific ideas, which I put forth in Beijing as India’s unofficial delegate at the Belt and Road conference. One, instead of simply opposing CPEC (and hence, B&RI in general), we should propose an India-China Economic Corridor (ICEC) that passes through the same part of GB, and also through the rest of J&K, to enter north India. This will partly address India’s sovereignty concerns. Two, we should also propose an India-Pakistan Economic Corridor (IPEC), extending to Afghanistan, Iran and beyond. This much-needed land access will benefit both India and Pakistan. Three, the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) Corridor should be expeditiously implemented. This will be a boon to our eastern and north-eastern states, which are today deprived of markets and infrastructure access towards the east. It will also impart flesh and blood to India’s “Act East” policy. Lastly, BCIM, IPEC, ICEC, CPEC and other existing Indian connectivity initiatives such as the high-speed north-south and east-west freight corridors, should be inter-connected, along with the port connectivity projects of participating countries. Imagine how destiny-changing this can be for the whole of South Asia. Will China agree to this? Yes, it will, provided India joins B&RI. Madhav is wrong in saying “Belt and Road is essentially a Chinese project”. Though started by China, BR&I is multilateral. Given its sheer global scale, China cannot control it, nor impose a “China solution” on other countries, even if it wishes to. Instead of quoting from, and endorsing what western sceptics have said, I wish Madhav had read and critiqued President Xi’s own comprehensive keynote address at the Beijing forum. B&RI in its current conception is certainly not perfect, nor is it cast in stone. It will evolve. It will encounter many problems and legitimate criticisms as it is rolled out. India, given its civilisational wisdom, size, population and growing economic might, has a voice China cannot ignore. It has an opportunity to make B&RI a more democratic and win-win proposition for all by participating in it. However, India cannot do so by staying out. And it is bound to gain far less, and attract more risks, by opposing it or, worse, by trying to float a rival initiative. Sean Doolittle Jersey
Haryana government signs five MoUs worth Rs 18,000 crore in Singapore
The Haryana government today signed five agreements with Singapore-based companies to attract Rs 18,000 crore investment in development projects in infrastructure and industrial sectors. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said here the companies will study various aspects of undertaking projects in the state. “We will see investments in infrastructure, industrial sector and other related sectors,” Khattar told PTI. “These five MoUs are worth Rs 18,000 crore of investment in the state,” he said, after attending the signing ceremony and addressing nearly 100 Singaporean businessmen at the venue. The five MoUs were signed with Meinhardt Group, YCH Logistics for Logistics projects, Ascendas Singbridge for Townships/Logistics parks development, Adonis for Wellness projects and equity investor Equis Energy which makes investments in a wide range of projects, including transmission and power distribution among others. The MoUs were signed by Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corp Ltd’s Managing Director Raja Sekhar Vundru with representatives of the five companies. “We aim to promote Haryana as a vibrant and competitive destination internationally. We want to offer the state as a corporate capital, as an industrial destination, as a residential and entertainment centre, whereas at the same time, retaining its edge in manufacturing, services and knowledge sectors,” the chief minister added. “It is indeed going to be ‘Destination Haryana’ all the way during the coming years. A clear vision, political will, good governance, empathy, empowerment, partnerships and creativity will be the keywords to drive the future success of Haryana,” Lal said. Meinhardt Group, an infrastructure and civil engineering group headquartered in Singapore, has signed three agreements with Haryana. “The MoUs are for developing Aviation Hub, Smart Cities and Industrial Townships,” said Shahzad Nasim, Group Executive Chairman of the Meinhardt Group. The Meinhardt Group will do feasibility studies on the proposed development over the next three to four month, following which it would carry out logistics and financial evaluation of the projects. “We will then discuss various options, including land availability for progressing with the projects,” added Nasim. Manohar Khiatani, Deputy Group CEO of Ascendas-Singbridge said, “We chose Haryana because of its strategic location and its position as a fast-growing economic powerhouse in India”. “We are optimistic about the growth potential of Haryana, and are happy to sign this MOU with the Haryana government to facilitate more investment opportunities and business collaboration,” Khiatani said. International Enterprise Singapore, a trade and business export promoting agency, has identified Faridabad, Gurugram and Karnal key cities to be developed as model smart cities for the state. “This MoU will see Meinhardt partner Haryana on smart city solutions, industrial townships and an integrated aviation hub,” said IE Singapore. YCH is already present in over 50 locations across India. Margaret Toh, Executive Director, YCH Group, said, “Haryana is a focus state for us, especially with the upcoming GST implementation in India”. “We will continue to work closely with IE Singapore and the Haryana government to expand our presence in the state and develop warehousing assets and supply chain solutions. This MoU will facilitate our interests in securing strategic warehousing projects in Gurugram,” he said. Mark Barron Authentic Jersey
Purvanchal expressway: UP government to cancel tenders to 6 firms to develop expressway
The Yogi Adityanath government has decided to cancel the tenders awarded to six firms during the previous Samajwadi Party regime to develop the 354-km long Purvanchal Expressway between Lucknow and Ghazipur. Sources confirmed that the state government will soon table a proposal in the Cabinet to cancel the tenders and start afresh the process of selecting construction companies to execute the project. Cabinet Minister for Industrial Development Satish Mahana said that the previous tenders will be cancelled because the required land for the project was not available so far. He added that hardly 33 per cent land had been purchased for the project when these tenders were finalised. “Fresh tendering exercise will be done when required land is available. Also, cost of the project will be reduced,” said Mahana. The board of UP Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) approved the proposal on Tuesday, confirmed sources. The Purvanchal Expressway project, launched by then Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, was proposed to connect Lucknow with Ghazipur via Barabanki, Amethi, Sultanpur, Faizabad, Ambedkar Nagar, Azamgarh and Mau. The cost of the project was estimated to be Rs 19,000 crore, of which Rs 12,000 crore was allotted for construction work and the remaining Rs 7,000 crore for acquiring land. The project aims to reduce travel time between Lucknow and Ghazipur by around five hours. A senior official of the department said that the previous government had started the bidding process for the project in November 2015. By the end of last year, it had selected six firms — NCC, Ashoka Buildcon, PNC, Gayatri Constructions, Afcons and Larsen & Toubro — through tendering to develop eight stretches of the expressway. “These companies were shortlisted for the project through tendering process. But by the time contracts could be awarded, the model code of conduct came into effect for Assembly elections. After elections, the new government has decided to cancel these tenders and hold a fresh tender exercise with revised conditions,” said the official. “Tendering should ideally be done when the government has around 90 per cent of the required land area in its possession… In future, tenders will be awarded only when 90 per cent of the land is in possession,” the official added. Officials said the state government was in the process of purchasing land from farmers and the fresh tendering process was expected to begin in the next few months. Last month, when asked to comment on the Adityanath government’s decision to order a probe into the Agra-Lucknow Expressway, Akhilesh had said, “They should also cancel the tender of the Purvanchal Expressway, where work is going on. They should restart the work if they are finding problems.” Jordan Berry Jersey
Not averse to any probe in land acquisition matters: NHAI
The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) today said it is not averse to any investigation by any agency, including CBI, into the matter of alleged irregularities in land acquisitions. It said allegations that NHAI is “reluctant on going ahead with the CBI enquiry in the matter of alleged irregularities in land acquisition in Nagina ? Kashipur, Kashipur ? Sitarganj, Sitarganj ? Tanakpur and Rudrapur – Kathgodam sections in the State of Uttarakhand” is not true. The matter pertains to alleged change in land use under section 143 of the Zamindari Abolition Act by revenue authorities in the process of acquisition of land for NH projects, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said in a statement. “The NHAI never objected to any enquiry or investigation by any agency at any point of time in the matter. The NHAI only conveyed its stand to various authorities in the state government to clarify the roles and responsibilities of officials of the state government and NHAI in land acquisition matters,” the statement said. The NHAI officials have no role to play in deciding the nature of land or the compensation amount to be paid for acquisition of land, it said adding, the role of NHAI officials is limited to depositing the amount as may be decided by the competent revenue authorities or the courts. “NHAI requested the state authorities to intervene in the matter only because dragging NHAI officers in such incidences is going to be counterproductive. This may not only lead to adverse impact on the process of land acquisition in Uttarakhand, but also affect our targets in other states too,” the statement said. It said in the present situation, the NH projects in Uttarakhand have come to a complete halt and it is feared that such a situation may arise in other States also and the whole NHDP may get affected severely. “It is clarified that land for NH projects is acquired under the provisions of the National Highways Act, 1956 (NH Act). As per the recommendation of the state government, the revenue officials of the state are duly appointed as Competent Authorities under section 3A of the NH Act,” it said. All the subsequent activities as well as declaration of awards are within the domain of the Competent Authority under the Act, it said. Asdrubal Cabrera Authentic Jersey
NHAI: Won’t invite bids till land acquired
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will not invite any bids for road projects until it has completed the process of land acquisition and shifting of utilities, and obtained in-principle forest clearance. Similarly, the authority will not commence work on structures, such as flyovers, bridges and rail over bridges, until it has 100% of the land. This is among the new norms that the NHAI has set in its bid to end the trend of huge delays in highway construction on account of lack of required land, statutory clearances and shifting of utilities such as water and gas pipelines and power transmission lines. Non-availability of land continues to delay the construction of flyovers on the Gurgaon-Jaipur stretch even seven years after work started on the corridor. Similarly, the NHAI had to terminate the contract for the expansion of of Chennai-Tada highway project and Delhi-Dehradun stretch for non-availability of land. Sources said 80% of the highway projects are delayed due to land related issues. Till now there has been a practice of awarding highway projects, and also commencing work, without having the required land and other necessary clearances. This often leads to litigation and road developers raising claims on the NHAI for its failure. TOI has learnt that because of the new norms, NHAI did not award a single project in April Ryan Pulock Jersey
Hope to achieve 40km of road construction by end of March 2018: Nitin Gadkari
At the beginning of his tenure as the minister for road transport and highways — Nitin Gadkari had set an ambitious target of constructing an average of 40 kilometres of roads every day. However, three years down the line, the government is yet to meet that target – in fact the pace of road construction stands at 23 kilometres per day. Watch Network18s Marya Shakil catch up with Nitn Gadkari to find out what’s holding back the ministry from meeting its targets? Below is the verbatim transcript of the interview. Q: I am looking at the numbers. Your government, you in particular have built, on an average, 23 km of roads every day. You had set a target of 40 km, of course, 23 km is much more than what UPA did, because their average was around 6-9 km. Did you get too ambitious when you set that target of 40 km per day? A: The target is ambitious, but anyone who is committed for some historical transformation, his ambition is higher. But I am confident that next March end, we will complete that 40 km a day. Again, I want to add one thing. Last year, we awarded the road contract for 16,800 km and that is a world record. It is for Guinness Book of World Record, now we are applying for that. First time in the world, in a country, in one year, there is a road construction contract for 16,800 km. It is a great achievement for our government. Q: What is the reason for this delay? Is it because of land acquisition or are there some states which are not cooperating with the centre? What is the reason why these projects are getting derailed? A: Everywhere in road projects, we need cooperation from the state government. Land acquisition, we are giving compensation, but the acquisition is with the help of state government. Then environment forest clearance, we have to take it from the state government. Encroachment, we need state government cooperation. So, somewhere we need store, sack, we need permission for that. Today, what my feeling is in our whole country, I am not talking politically, we need development oriented approach. Development of country is not a political agenda. It is an agenda for the country and some time, I feel it very bad. The attitude, the approach in the system, I am not blaming politically. It is even in the BJP government also there are some things are there. We are sometimes, people fed up. Some bureaucrats, the system, they do not want to take the decisions. The delays are there. Q: You were recently at the London Stock Exchange where you talked about Masala Bonds. Do you think investment in your area that is road and transport is a big challenge? A: Not a big challenge. Total world investors are ready to invest in India. The credibility of India, the credibility of leadership of Narendra Modi, credibility of Indian government has increased. People have a lot of expectations in the world. When I met with the pensions fund owner, insurance fund owner, bankers, investors, there is a great aspirations and they have great expectations for Indian economy. The fastest growing economy in the world, I do not have a money problem, I do not have technology problem. Q: So, where is the problem? A: My problem is in my system, this government system because this system is not ambitious. They do not want to take this fast track decision making process. The delays are there. The committees are there and there are a lot of negative approach people are there. Q: You have pitched the Motor Vehicles Bill as the Save Life Bill and you were lauded for a very comprehensive bill by your colleagues in parliament as well. This linking of Aadhaar, the sceptics are saying that this is some kind of intrusion to their privacy. A: Not at all. You know that, I am very sorry to say, but it is my duty to tell you the truth. We have 30 percent bogus licences. Is it good for the country? A lot of accidents have taken place, do you know that? The most easiest thing in the world in India is to get licence. You cannot get a licence in UK, you cannot get a licence in USA. The system is very hard and now, in India, anyone can take licence without giving the test for driving. Is it good? So, this is the time for the country, we have to save the life of the people. Every year, in India, we are facing five lakh accidents, 1.50 lakh deaths and that is the reason that we have to improve the system. Driving training system we have to improve, we have to improve road engineering, we have to identify the black spots, we have to improve system related to the RTO, we have to improve the system with car registration, we have to improve automobile engineering, we have to improve the driving licence system. By efforts of all this thing, we can save the life of 50 percent of the people of this country. Q: Is this pitch for Save Lives also something to do with your own personal accident that you feel that there is a need for greater safety on roads? A: 100 percent. I have faced a big accident. My total family was there. My leg, there were four fractures in my leg. A rod is there. It is only because the thing is that on the road, National Highway, I am a Minister for this, from Ramtek to Nagpur, on that road, there was a tree and because of red tapeism, the government, the collector and the forest department not giving the permission for that and there was cataract to my driver, the police driver and that day, the accident took place. It is not good. I am very sensitive about it. I have faced the
HIGHWAY PROJECTS WORTH RS 5 LAKH CRORE PLANNED IN 2 YEARS
The Narendra Modi government has set an ambitious target of awarding Rs 5 lakh crore worth of highway contracts, totalling about 50,000 km, in the last two years of its tenure, surpassing the cumulative road length awarded for paying in the last five years. Road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari told ET that the contracts will be for 44 economic corridors and 10 expressways, and would include the ‘chardham’ connectivity programme, northeast connectivity programme and the borders-linking projects. Over the last five years, the government could award only 40,000 km of fresh highway length for construction. “We have planned several projects that would be very crucial for overall development of the country. These new highways would decongest the existing roads, bringing down logistics cost by 5-6%,” Gadkari told ET. “My ministry’s vision is that a freight vehicle should move on highways without restrictions and should be able to do at least 400 km per day. It will have very positive impact on the logistics industry.” At present, there are 10 expressway projects at various stages of implementation. Gadkari said his ministry would raise money through NHAI bonds, monetisation of highways and additional allocation in budgetary support. He said the Centre’s first expressway, the Eastern peripheral expressway, would be ready in a few months. Most of these projects would be undertaken on the hybrid annuity model, where the government shares the project risk with the private partner and bears 40% of the project cost upfront. Of the 50,000 km of road length that will be awarded for construction, paving work for 30,000 km of highways will start in the last two years, the ministry has said. This fiscal, the government is targeting construct of almost 15,000 km of highways, up 45% from what it achieved in FY17. Over the last three years, the ministry has awarded contracts for over 34,000 km of roads as compared with 15,000 km awarded by the UPA government in its last three years.Actual construction in the last three years has been about 22,000 km as compared with 6,000 km during the last three years of the UPA government. Brendan Smith Womens Jersey