Centre Overhauls Highways Construction Bid Process, Sets Timelines

In a move to speed up highway construction, the Centre has synchronized project approvals, awards and appointment of developers with milestones for land acquisition, environment, forest and wildlife clearances.

- Subhash Narayan

NEW DELHI:

These milestones will be applicable for highway building and awarding agencies including the National Highways Authority of India, National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd and the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH's) own road construction wing. They reflect specific timelines for taking various statutory clearances before awarding any highway project.

Notably, the timeline goes well beyond the need to acquire 90% of land before inviting bids—a practice that has been followed for highway awards for the past few years.

Now, the ministry has mandated that work on securing forest, environment and wildlife clearances should begin on approval of a highway alignment and clearances have to be completed before bids are received.