Six-lane project on NH-1 misses one more deadline,far from completion

Four years and four deadlines later,the six-lane project on the National Highway- 1,a 291 kilometre stretch between Panipat and Jalandhar,is far from completion.

Four years and four deadlines later,the six-lane project on the National Highway- 1,a 291 kilometre stretch between Panipat and Jalandhar,is far from completion. Having already missed three deadlines,the project missed another recently. While it was initially scheduled for completion by November 2011,sources in the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) say not even 70 per cent of the work has been done so far.

Having received approval for the project in 2008,the NHAI had planned to finish 25 per cent of the work by May 2010,65 per cent by May 2011,and the entire project by November 2011. The highway body then pushed the date of completion to February,2012 before shifting that to June 15,2012. The project,however,has been plagued by delays with a majority of flyovers and underpasses still under construction. Even work on the main carriageway has been carried out in bits and pieces.

Information procured from the NHAIs Ambala-based office,where the project director sits,revealed that a financial crunch and irregular supply of material have been the primary reasons for the tardy progress of work. While the original cost of the project was pegged at Rs 2,700 crore,sources said it could now increase manifold due to the repeated delays.

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With the project being built on a build operate and transfer (BOT) basis,NHAI also blamed the state governments of Haryana and Punjab for the delay by accusing the states of clearing trees and electric poles well in time.

The delays,however,have severely affected commuters on this busy stretch. Potholes and accumulation of water have ensured that it takes hours to cross just a few kilometres on this road.

Project director Rajesh Kumar Kondal,however,said that as per the new deadline,the Haryana portion would be completed by December 31,this year,while the Punjab portion will be completed by March 31,2013.

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BOT
NHAI