The Indian government aims to improve road conditions. This way

The Indian government aims to improve road conditions. This way

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By: PTI
, updated on: 27 October 2024, 09:36 am

Government of India has decided to double the defect liability period under EPC contracts to 10 years to improve road conditions across the country.

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The Government of India has decided to double the defect liability period under EPC contracts to 10 years to improve road conditions across the country.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said the government has decided to double the 'defect liability period' for contractors of engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) projects to 10 years.

At present, under EPC projects, maintenance of National Highways is the responsibility of the government after the expiry of the defect liability period (5 years).

“The quality of roads built under EPC mode is not good. The defect liability period under EPC mode is 5 years… and within 3 years, a lot of problems occur on the roads,” Gadkari said at an event here.

The Road Transport and Highways Minister said that roads built under BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) or HAM (Hybrid Annuity Model) mode are in good condition as the maintenance of the roads is the responsibility of the contractor and he has to pay the cost. ,

“So now we have decided, whichever road is (built) under EPC mode, we will increase the defect liability period from 5 years to 10 years,” he said.

The minister said that increasing the defect liability period for contractors will force them to build good quality roads.

EPC projects are those where the government invests the money, while the private partners only provide engineering construction support.

The HAM model of road construction is where the government partially funds the construction of national highways and BOT or Build-Operate-Transfer is where the construction risk is borne by the private concessionaire with a concession period of 20-30 years .

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) are primarily responsible for the construction of national highways and expressways in the country. The maintenance of national highways is financed by the Central Road Infrastructure Fund.

Gadkari also stressed the need to increase exports and reduce imports.

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First publication date: 27 October 2024, 09:36 am IST

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Delhi High Court asks NHAI to fix representation on unfair highway toll collection

Delhi High Court asks NHAI to fix representation on unfair highway toll collection

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By: PTI
, updated on: October 13, 2024, 09:45 am

  • Delhi HC said the representation by the authorities should be disposed of within four weeks as per law.
Delhi HC said the representation by the authorities should be disposed of within four weeks as per law.

The Delhi High Court has asked the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to decide on a representation raising the issue of alleged unfair toll fee collection and establishment of toll plazas on highways across the country.

A bench of Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela was hearing a PIL on September 25 when it disposed of the plea, allowing the petitioner to file a comprehensive representation with the NHAI within two weeks.

The court said that the representations should be disposed of by the authorities within four weeks as per law.

Petitioner Anand Mishra, an advocate, said that as per the National Highway Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, NHAI is clearly barred from collecting toll on the semi-constructed portion of the highway and toll fee plazas cannot be established. Can be done. 60 kilometers.

“The respondent (NHAI) has and is still collecting undue wealth by charging unreasonable toll from passengers on the highways,” the plea said.

Therefore, the petitioner sought to direct NHAI to comply with Rules 3(2) and 8(2) of the National Highway Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008 with immediate effect throughout India.

The petition sought a direction to the court to conduct a survey and form a committee to calculate the amount of toll fee collected so far by NHAI by allegedly violating these rules and ensure that the amount collected is The amount spent should be returned immediately.

Rule 3(2) provides for commencement of collection of fee within 45 days from the date of completion of the section of National Highway, permanent bridge, bypass or tunnel, as the case may be, constructed through a publicly funded project .

On the other hand, Rule 8(2) states that no other toll plaza shall be established on the same stretch of the National Highway and within 60 kilometers in the same direction.

The petitioner had informed the court about giving a representation to the authorities in August but it was not acted upon.

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First publication date: 13 October 2024, 09:45 AM IST

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Nitin Gadkari reviews progress of 21 National Highway projects in Kerala

Nitin Gadkari reviews progress of 21 National Highway projects in Kerala

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By: ANI
, updated on: 03 October 2024, 09:06 am

  • The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has been actively expanding national highways in the country for the last few years.
The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has been actively expanding national highways in the country for the last few years.

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday reviewed the progress of 21 ongoing National Highway projects spanning over 747 km in Kerala, the minister said in a post on social media platform “X”.

Union Minister Gadkari was accompanied by Union Minister of State (MoS) for Road Transport and Highways, Ajay Tamba and Minister of State (MoS) for Tourism and Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi as well as senior officials at the new Bharat Mandapam. Delhi.

The Central Government is actively working for the expansion of National Highways in the country. Gadkari inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 12 national highway projects with a total length of over 105 km in January this year. 1464 crores.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the proposed projects aim to enhance seamless connectivity between Tamil Nadu and Kerala, thereby ensuring fast and hassle-free transportation.

The initiative promises to reduce overall transportation costs. Additionally, the focus on eliminating black spots on national highways is expected to lead to a significant reduction in road accidents, the ministry said.

It further said that the venture is set to generate substantial direct and indirect employment opportunities while promoting socio-economic development in Kerala.

Additionally, according to the ministry, better access to Munnar is expected to boost tourism potential, while the construction of a high-level bridge will eliminate a 27-kilometre detour during floods, streamline travel and promote Kerala's key products. Exports will benefit.

As per the official document, 8 major projects with total length of 198 km with total cost of Rs. Rs 4,043 crore are in various stages of progress. For 1,290 km NH, approximately Rs. Detailed Project Report (DPR) of Rs. Preparations worth Rs 27,650 crore are being made. Under Setu Bharatam, approximately Rs. 4 ROBs have been identified costing Rs. 200 crores. According to the government, these projects will prove to be a boon for Kerala's economy and tourism. Some of the landmark projects being developed in the states include Thiruvananthapuram Bypass, Thalassery – Mahe Bypass and Kuthiran Tunnel.

Three major greenfield NH projects are also in the pipeline. They are 4-lane Palakkad to Kozhikode section of NH-966, 4-lane Greenfield Road from Kochi to KL/TN ​​border section of NH-85, and 4-lane Thiruvananthapuram – Kottarakarra – Kottayam – Angamaly (MC Road).

In his written reply in the Rajya Sabha last year, Gadkari had said that the Kerala government has agreed to share 25 per cent of the land acquisition cost of Rs 5748 crore for 16 ongoing projects on NH-66, of which Rs 5581 is Rs. Rs crore have been deposited.

Additionally, he said the Kerala government has also agreed to share 25 per cent of the land acquisition cost, amounting to Rs 4440 crore, for the upcoming three greenfield NH projects.

He said the state government has agreed to share 50 per cent cost of land acquisition, 100 per cent cost of service road and exemption from state GST and royalty for the Thiruvananthapuram Outer Ring Road section of NH-866.

According to the Minister, during the last 5 years, about 160 km of NH has been constructed by NHAI in the state of Kerala.

According to data shared by the ministry in January this year, India has about 66.71 lakh km of road network, the second largest in the world. The total length of national highways is 1,46,145 km.

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First publication date: 03 October 2024, 09:06 am IST

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Bye FASTag, hi GPS-based toll collection: Is India ready?

Bye FASTag, hi GPS-based toll collection: Is India ready?

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By: HT Auto Desk
| Updated on: 18 Mar 2024, 13:08 PM

  • The Indian government is planning to introduce a GPS-based toll collection system across the country, replacing the current FASTag technology.
The Indian government is planning to introduce a GPS-based toll collection system across the country, replacing the current FASTag technology. (AP)

Ever since Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari announced that the government is planning to deploy a Global Positioning System (GPS) based toll collection system across India, the new technology has been making headlines. With this strategy, the government is planning to remove all the toll plazas or toll collection booths and enable GPS-based toll collection. This comes after FASTag became mandatory across India just a few years ago for all four-wheeled vehicles to enable automatic deduction of toll charges through Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology.

Under the FASTag regime, the vehicles come with a FASTag chip-based sticker positioned on the windshield of the vehicle. When the vehicle passes through the toll gate, a scanner scans the FASTag sticker and deducts the specific amount automatically. This system has significantly reduced the waiting time at the toll plaza for vehicles compared to the era when toll charges were paid through cash or card. Eventually, this technology has resulted in reduced travelling time for the vehicles, better transparency and lower congestion at toll plazas. Now, the government is aiming to bring a more updated technology for this function, which will work as a GPS-based system.

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(To buy a new FASTag, click here)

How GPS-based toll collection will work?

Just like the FASTag-based toll collection requires all vehicles to have a FASTag, the GPS-based toll collection system will make it necessary for all vehicles to have a GPS. The government plans to deploy this technology through a microcontroller with 3G and GPS connectivity. This will allow the NHAi or the regulatory agency to track the vehicle’s route through the GPS device onboard the car. It will transmit the data of how many toll roads the vehicles are taking, and how many toll gates the vehicles are passing through. Based on that, the estimated toll tax will be charged by the vehicle owner.

Also Read : How to buy and activate FASTag online: Key steps

Difference between FASTag and GPS-based toll collection

FASTag uses RFID technology for automatic deduction of toll tax bringing convenience and transparency. It is like a wallet that allows the system to deduct the toll charges automatically whenever the vehicle passes through the toll plaza. The FASTag account is directly linked to the bank account or wallet.

On the other hand, the GPS-based toll collection will differ from FASTag. It will track the vehicle throughout the journey, which brings the concern related to privacy, as the system will be able to monitor the vehicle all along. The system will be vigilant of vehicle movement and collect toll tax through GPS.

First Published Date: 18 Mar 2024, 13:08 PM IST


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