NH-48 project in a limbo for want of green ... - Real Estate India

??|?? January 7, 2013 ?? 02:54pm ??|Contributed by manoja

JAIPUR: The tussle between National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the state government is taking a toll on the construction of roads in the state. The latest bone of contention is the Kishangarh-Udaipur-Ahmedabad (NH 48) highway for which the state government has made a delay in passing the file to Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF). Due to pending approvals, concessionaire of the project, GMR, has issued exit notice to NHAI, leaving the project in a limbo.

The NHAI, which is under Union minister for road trans port and highways, C P Joshi, needed the permission of MoEF for razing trees in 72 hectares near Udaipur. The process include the state forest department?s report on tree counting and inspection of the area. However, the request submitted to the state government in July 2011, was sent to the Union ministry only in October 2012.

The mega highway is to pass from Udaipur which has been the stronghold of Joshi. After a defeat by one vote in the last assembly election, Joshi is leaving no stone unturned to bring the developmental projects there. But rivalry between Joshi and CM Ashok Gehlot is proving to be a major hurdle in getting things done.

?It should not have taken more than six months to get the needed approval. The major de lay happened at state government level where local forest officials showed complete lethargy. Unfortunately, MoEF too did not take the matter on an urgent basis,? a senior highways official said.

NHAI was so determined to get clearance that it even agreed to pay double the price of land to forest department and plant trees at vacant plots. ?This highway is very important for the region. It will not only reduce traveling time between Udaipur-Ahmedabad but also attract lot of investments. Also, several flyovers and a sixlane bypass are part of the detailed project re port,? the NHAI official said. Feud between the two leaders is also affecting the revenue of both the Central and state governments. The project has huge significance considering it being the country?s first mega highway project. In addition, if the contract gets cancelled, the NHAI would lose revenue of Rs 636 crore annually, which increases 5% every successive year.

The delay in environment clearance is leading to a daily loss of Rs 1.72 cr for the exchequer in the form of toll revenues. But the toll collection can only be allowed after environment clearance. Sources claim that the firm GMR was very aggressive in bidding the projects but was finding it difficult to comply the agreement. ?It was a very competitive bidding. GMR was giving almost double the price. So pending approvals came as handy excuse for the company,? said sources.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/NH-48-project-in-a-limbo-for-want-of-green-clearance/articleshow/17923444.cms

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