(FE)
The pace of building highways accelerated to 20.80 km a day in the April-August period of 2017-18 from 7.36 km a day in the same period last fiscal, but fell short of 22.3 km per day achieved in 2016-17. The marginal slowing of construction is partly attributable to the onset of monsoon, officials said, adding a definite acceleration would be visible from October. Of course, the ambitious target of constructing highways at a pace of 41 km/day continues to be ungettable. With a solid portfolio of awarded projects, the NHAI has put the brakes on new awards which shrank 41% year-on-year to 1,662 km during the April-August period.
The ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) has set itself a target to award 25,000 km in 2017-18 after clocking an all-time high of 16,036 km last fiscal. While MoRTH awarded 1,347 km projects in April-August this fiscal, the NHAI awarded 315 km only. During the same period last fiscal, MoRTH had awarded 1,210 Km, NHAI 1,516 Km and NHIDCL, the remaining 101 km.
