Roads to nowhere

November 1, 2006

What is the National Highway Development Programme (NHDP)? As originally contemplated under the NDA government, there was the golden quadrilateral (Phase I) and the North-South and East-West corridors (Phase II). We had a deadline of December 2003 for Phase I and a deadline of December 2008 for Phase II. We are pretty close to December 2006 and Phase I is far from over.

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under NHAI, NHDP

New path or alleyway

October 12, 2006

Are contractual ‘innovations’ holding up the showpiece highway project?

It continues to be a slow trudge on the fast lane. Barely 35 per cent of the contracts for the North-South East-West corridor (NHDP-II) have been awarded. This lethargy in the awarding of contracts by National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), under the UPA, is predictably bound to lead to long delays in the construction of the highway network across the country.

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under Highway, Investment and Finance, NHAI, NHDP, Projects

Rethink Tolling

October 12, 2006

There’s better road-pricing technology, use it

Recent news reports about the government’s new tolling policy rationale are disturbing. Marginal cost pricing permits tolls only to reduce congestion, but in India, tolls are more a user charge than a traffic management tool. Even so, project viability should not be the primary basis for setting tolls. Sensible public policy on tolls should focus on fostering development, by promoting use of the road, tempered by cost recovery. A key benefit of roads is the large spillover from better connectivity. High user charges would dampen usage and reduce this benefit, and may be self-defeating, even for viability.

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under NHDP, Toll Management System, Tolling

Toll to be Delinked from road length

October 12, 2006

NEW DELHI, OCT 12: The government has finalised the toll policy for national highways, with the toll to be based on the cost of construction of roads. The toll will neither be uniform nor be based on the road length as suggested earlier.

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under Highway, NHAI, NHDP, Projects, Toll Management System, Tolling

Elevated expressway to connect Bangalore to electronic hub

June 23, 2006

Bangalore, June 23 (IANS) A dedicated 10-km elevated expressway is being built from the Silicon hub of Bangalore to the electronics city to ferry thousands of techies to their workplace in top gear, non-stop.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is scheduled to kick-start the project by laying the foundation stone Saturday here in the presence of union Urban Development Minister S. Jaipal Reddy, Governor T.N. Chaturvedi, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and top officials.

The brainchild of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the Karnataka government, the four-lane expressway will be raised above the six-lane national highway (NH-7), connecting Bangalore to Hosur across the state border in Tamil Nadu.

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under BOT, Construction, Default, ETC, Highway, Infrastructure, Investment and Finance, NHAI, NHDP, Projects, Toll Management System, Tolling

PM to lay foundation for six-laning of Panipat highway project

March 23, 2006

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will today lay the foundation stone for six-laning of 10 km stretch of the National Highway one (NH-1) running through Panipat in Haryana.

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda along with other ministers will be present on the occasion. Dr Singh will also address a public meeting on the occasion. Security men have been posted on the spot.

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under BOT, Construction, Default, ETC, Highway, Infrastructure, Investment and Finance, NHAI, NHDP, Projects, Tech, Toll Management System, Tolling

First edition of e-Magzine – Editorial

January 2, 2006

Dear Reader,

We are glad to bring out the first edition of this e news magazine bringing you the latest news on the developments of BOT projects in India.

As you are all already aware that the future of road construction in India is going the BOT way . Not only the NHAI , but even the state governments such as the Government of Punjab through PIDB and Madhya Pradesh Government through MPSRD has come out with no. of BOT projects .

Apart from Road Projects even Check Post Management has gone the BOT way with state governments such as the NEW DELHI already having implemented and KERELA and RAJASTHAN in the planning stage to go for BOT projects for CHECK POST MANAGEMENT.

With this magazine we hope to bring together companies and professionals in BOT road projects to share news ,views ,problems and solutions through a platform which will bring together best of the industry through a forum for sharing thier knowledge .

Also we hope to use this a medium for recruitment of High skill professionals having experience in managing different aspects of BOT projects by the leading BOT concession companies.

Last but not the least we want to constantly educate the concessionaires about the latest in Tolling and Traffic Management Technologies offered by Metro Road Systems and its global partners –Kapsch Trafficom , Austria.

We would really appreciate constructive and critical feedback on this maiden venture in the Industry.

In the next issues you can look forward to :

1. Articles from renowned people in Industry
2. Web Chat with experts on Hot topics concerning industry
3. Lot of illustrations and pictures

Thanks and Regards,
Sachin Bhatia
Chief Editor ,
METRO ROAD TIMES ;
[email protected]

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under BOT, Construction, DDA, Default, DND, DSIIDC, ETC, Highway, Infrastructure, Investment and Finance, IVRCL, NHAI, NHDP, PLUS, PPP, Projects, PWD, Tech, Toll Management System, Tolling