APPROVAL FOR NEW PHASES OF NHDP, PROPOSAL OF DEDICATED BODY ON ROAD SAFETY AND AMENDMENT IN THE MOTOR VEHICLE ACT MARK THE ACTIVITIES IN THE ROAD SECTOR DURING 2007

December 20, 2007

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The Government’s approval for construction of Ring Roads/Bypasses etc. around the major cities across the country, upgradation of National Highways under NHDP Phase III A and III B, awarding of 18 contracts by NHAI under NHDP Phase III, IV and VI and approval of modified SARDP-NE programme for widening of NHs in NE States marked the major activities of the Department of Road Transport and Highways during the year 2007. The Department of Road Transport notified the rules for accreditation of bus body builders, Government approved the amendments in the Motor Vehicle Act and Sunder Committee recommended the creation of a dedication body on road safety and traffic management during the year.

ROAD SECTOR

– India has about 3.3 million kilometers road network, which is the second largest in the world. It includes National Highways, State Highways, Major District Roads and Rural Roads.

– National Highways (NHs) having length of 66590 km, constitute only 2 per cent of the total road network but share approximately 40 per cent of the total traffic on roads.

– Overall Achievements made by the Ministry through all agencies i.e. NHAI, State PWDs and BRO under different schemes of development of National Highways during the calendar year 2007 from January 2007 to October, 2007 are as under

Name of Scheme	Targets	Achievements
1) Widening to 4-lanes (km)	1649.35	1065.98
2) Strengthening of existing weak pavement (kms)	412.36	929.99
3) Widening to 2-lanes (km)	783.08	847.60
4) Improvement of riding quality (IRQP) (km)	1477.87	1525.55
5) Rehabilitations / Construction of Bridges ( No.)	97	97
6) Construction of Bypasses (No.)	8	2
7) Improvement of low grade sections (km)	20.85	41.47

National Highways Development Projects Phase I, II, III and V

The present status of NHDP I, II, III and V as on 30th November, 2007, is as under:

Golden Quadrilateral (GQ): Out of total Length of 5846 Km, four laning of 5629 km has been completed and the balance length is under implementation.

During the calendar year 128 km length has been completed.

North-South & East-West Corridors: Out of total length of 7300 km for four laning, 1559 km length has been completed and 4762 km length is under implementation. The remaining length is under various stages towards award of work.

During the calendar year 707 km length has been completed.

Port Connectivity Project & Other National Highways: Under Port Connectivity, out of 380 km, 163 Km has been completed and 211 km is under implementation. The work is yet to be awarded in remaining length. Out of 945 km of other National Highway, so far 337 km has been completed and four laning of 605 km is under implementation.

During the calendar year 28 km length has been completed for the Port Connectivity

National Highways Development Project Phase – III, V, VI & VII

Government has approved up gradation of 780 Km of National Highways under NHDP Phase-IIIA in Bihar at an estimated cost of Rs,6782 Crore in April 2007. With this approval, total length approved under Phase-IIIA is 4815 km at an estimated cost of Rs.33,069 crore.

Government has approved upgradation of 7294 km under NHDP Phase IIIB at an estimated cost of Rs.47557 crore in April 2007.

With approval of NHDP Phase-IIIB, total length for NHDP Phase-III is 12109 km at an estimated cost of Rs.80,626 crore. NHDP Phase-III is targeted for completion by December, 2013.

12 nos of contracts involving a length of 749 km under NHDP phase III have been awarded so far.

Government has approved construction of stand alone Ring Roads, Bypasses, Grade Separators, Flyovers, elevated roads, tunnels, road over bridges, underpasses, service roads, etc. on BOT (Toll) mode under NHDP Phase VII in December 2007 at an estimated cost of Rs.16680 crore.

In all 18 Nos. Contracts for the length of 928 km amounting to Rs. 6816 Crore were awarded by NHAI under NHDP Phase III,IV & VI.

Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for North-East (SARDP-NE)

The modified SARDP-NE programme approved by Govt. on 1.10.2007 envisages widening of 3846 km of National Highways and improvement including widening/improvement of 4891 km of State roads. This will ensure the connectivity of remaining 58 district head quarters to the National Highways / State Roads in the 8 North-Eastern States.

Ministry has set up a High Powered Inter Ministerial Committee to approve and co-ordinate individual sub projects under SARDP-NE. Till date Committee has approved various sub projects covering 664 km length at an estimated cost of Rs. 1613 Crore under Phase “A” of the program.

Central Road Fund

Under the Central Road Fund Scheme, an amount of Rs. 12830 crore has been earmarked for all categories of roads (including share of Railways). Out of this, Rs.6541.06 crore have been allotted for National Highways, Rs.1565.32 crore for the State Roads, Rs.3825 crore for the Rural Roads and a sum of Rs.173.93 crore to be given as grants for development of Inter-State Connectivity and Economic Importance Roads. An amount of Rs. 724.69 Crore has been allotted to the Ministry of Railways for construction of Road Over Bridges/ Road Under Bridges and other safety works in unmanned level crossing.

During the calendar year 2007 till 30^th November 2007, 408 proposals amounting to Rs. 1263.09 Crore have been approved for improvement of State Roads under CRF.

Economic Importance & Inter-State connectivity (E&I and ISC)

In the current financial year 2007-2008 an allocation of funds of Rs 173.93 Crore has been made for E & I and ISC.

During the calendar year so far, 41 nos. (16 of EI and 25 ISC) proposals amounting to Rs. 347.79 Crore with a central share of 302.93 Crore have been given in-principle approval for improvement of State Roads under Economic Importance & Inter-state Connectivity Scheme.

Public Private Partnership

BOT (Toll) Based Projects: So far 82 (56 NHAI+ 26 MoSRTH) projects valued about Rs. 23104.31 Crore on Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis (Toll based projects) have been awarded. Out of this, 32 (8 NHAI+ 24 MoSRTH) projects have been completed and 50 projects are under progress.

During the calendar year, 10 (NHAI) contracts for 698 km of length have been awarded on BOT (Toll) basis.

TRANSPORT SECTOR

Accreditation of bus body builders:

This Department has notified the rules for accreditation of bus body builders on 23.3.2007. As per these rules, the bus body builders in the country would be accredited through the system of Zonal and National Level Accreditation Board. It is expected that these rules would come into effect from 23^rd March 2008. This would bring uniformity in the bus body design and enhance safety and comfort to the passenger

Amendment in the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988

The Union Cabinet in its meeting held on 1^st March 2007 has approved the proposal of this Ministry to amend the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 to enhance penalties for various traffic offences, to delegate powers to the states , to make the transport authorities in the States more responsive and to rationalize various provisions in accordance with new/emerging requirements as well as compensation to road accident victims. The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2007 has been introduced in Rajya Sabha on 15.5.2007 and the same has been referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture for examination and appropriate recommendation.

Creation of Dedicated body on Road Safety and Traffic Management

A committee under the chairmanship of Shri S.Sunder, Former Secretary erstwhile Ministry of Surface Transport was constituted on 23.11.2005 to deliberate and make recommendations for creation of dedicated body on Road Safety and Traffic Management. The Committee has submitted its report on 20.2.2007. The main recommendations of the Committee include creation of an apex body i.e. National Road Safety & Traffic Management Board at national level to promote road safety and improve traffic management in India, through an Act of the Parliament. In its advisory role, it has been proposed that the Board will advise Government on various road safety aspects. Creation of similar State level boards has also been suggested in the report. The Committee has suggested earmarking of minimum one per cent of total proceeds of cess on diesel and petrol for Road Safety Fund. A note for Committee of Secretaries for creation of a National Road Safety and Traffic Management Board is being finalised.

Carriage by Road Act, 2007

The carriage by Road Act, 2007 been notified in the Gazette of India on 1^st October 2007 after obtaining presidential assent on the Carriage by Road Bill, 2007 passed by Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha on 7.9.07 and 10.9.07 respectively.. The new Act would replace the Carriers’ Act, 1865 and would cater to the need of the modern day trade and transport by road. The new Act would help to make the transport system transparent and modernise the systems and procedures of the transportation trade through registration of common carrier. It also provides scope for apportionment of liability between the common carrier and the consignor.

National Road Safety Council:

10^th meeting of the National Road safety Council was held on 21^st April 2007 at Coimbatore As a follow up to this meeting, a high powered committee under the chairmanship of Transport Minister, Tamil Nadu has been set up to address the problems faced by the States in enforcement of the provisions relating to overloading, speed governors, speed fixing limit of motor vehicles, other road safety issues and to suggest proper mechanism to formulate an effective National Road safety Policy.

Road safety activities:

During the current year grants-in-aid have been sanctioned to 121 number of NGOs for carrying out road safety activities in the country.

Refresher training to about 60000 drivers of heavy commercial vehicles in the unorganized sector has been sanctioned during the year 2007-08

Source: pib.nic.in