The Ministry is primarily responsible for development and maintenance of National Highways (NHs). About Rs. 2,480 Crores has been allocated at Budget Estimate (BE) stage under Revenue head for Maintenance and Repair (M&R) of NHs during 2022-23. Apart from this, the Ministry has also allocated about Rs. 768 Crores so far during 2022-23, under Capital head, for Periodic Renewal (PR) / Improvement of Riding Quality Programme (IRQP) works on NHs which are also M&R works.
About Rs. 44.64 Crores has been allocated so far during 202223 for the State of Rajasthan for M&R of NHs entrusted with the State Government of Rajasthan. Apart from this, funds are also spent by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for M&R of the NH stretches entrusted to them.
The details of M&R works sanctioned for NH-68 in the State of Rajasthan during current financial year is as follows: -
|
Sl.
No
|
Name of work sanctioned
|
Duration of work (Contract period)
|
Sanctioned amount
(Rs. in
Crores)
|
|
1.
|
Overlay/ Strengthening of Gandhav Bridge to Gujarat
Border of NH-68
|
6 month
|
31.92
|
|
2.
|
Short term improvement and routine maintenance of
Jaisalmer to Barmer section of
NH-68
|
3 Years
|
17.30
|
|
3.
|
Short term improvement and routine maintenance of Barmer to Gandhav Bridge section of NH-
68
|
3 Years
|
26.57
|
Apart from this, scope of M&R works in km 123.410 to km 160.700 of NH-68 in Rajasthan is covered under Engineering Procurement Contract (EPC) of ongoing work.
The development and maintenance of NHs is a continuous process. The works on NHs are accordingly taken up from time to time as per traffic density, inter-se priority and availability of funds to keep the NHs in traffic worthy conditions.
Various types of M&R works taken up on NHs include Ordinary Repairs (OR), Periodical Renewals (PR), Special Repairs (SR) and Flood Damage Repairs (FDR).
The M&R of stretches of NHs, where either Development works have commenced or Operation, Maintenance and Transfer (OMT) Concessions/ Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Contracts have been awarded, are the responsibility of the concerned Concessionaires/ Contractors till the Defect Liability Period (DLP)/ the Concession Period.
M&R of balance stretches of NHs are carried out regularly as per available budgetary outlay, inter-se priority and traffic density to keep such NHs in traffic worthy conditions.
The Officers of the Ministry and various Executing Agencies [viz. NHAI, National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) and Border Roads Organisation (BRO)] carry out regular assessments of conditions of NHs from time to time. Accordingly, further necessary actions are taken up for development and maintenance of the NHs as per inter-se priority, traffic density and availability of funds to keep the NHs in traffic worthy conditions.
This information was given by the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
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MJPS