New to felicitate faster travel to Betul / MP
Nagpur News: In order to cater to the growing population, smooth vehicular movement and to meet the city’s needs and the road-user’s expectations in a time-bound and cost effective manner, the National Highways Authority of India has been playing the role of a conduit between the Central Government and private entrepreneurs apart from making roads themselves. Unlike other places, this project is entirely financed by a private entrepreneur.
In an exclusive interview with Nagpur Today, the Project Director of NHAI M Chandrashekhar said that this road that is starting from Mental Hospital Square in Nagpur and will end at Obedullaganj (covering a distance of 174.5 kilometers) on National Highway No 69. This flyover is built by a contractor called M/s Oriental Nagpur Betul Highway Pvt Ltd. The contract amount is said to be of a whopping sum of Rs. 2498.76 Crores and supposed to be completed in 3 years and 5 months.
Project Director of NHAI M Chandrashekhar
3 toll booths proposed on new road
This Flyover is said to be on a Build-Operate & Transfer basis. The returns of this road will be collected by the government through 3 proposed toll booths. Sources said that around Rs 50-60 will be recovered from 4-wheelers (One in Maharashtra and two in MP).The Entrepreneur will get his returns in approximately 20 years through an assured payment by NHAI.
Chandrashekhar added that NHAI can advice the contractor on the construction based on the standards laid by law. However, the contractor need not adhere to his suggestions. At the end, an independent third party engineer will verify the Flyover and certify it.
He added that at the moment the number of vehicular usage on the under-construction road is pegged at around 27,000 Passenger Car Units with a predicted 6 % growth annually.
New Highway Property Control Act
Chandrashekhar spoke of the New Highway Property Control Act which was formed in 2002, which laid a lot of provisions for control of the road and the usage.
He clarified that it is a myth that trees are cut for making roads. He clarified that trees are cut only when a need arises keeping in mind the need for making a road and where the trees have exhausted their utility. They are done to facilitate the smooth movement of increasing vehicles and for commercial purposes. He added that the NHAI pays crores of rupees for cutting trees to local civic body, forest department etc. Chandrashekhar claimed that though he is not burdened with the onus of planting trees, he does plant trees wherever he gets space at the edge to make the road look green.
Delegation submits memo to Project Director
Earlier a delegation had come to see the Project Director and submit a memorandum requesting the NHAI, if they can make some alterations in the plan to accommodate a safe-way at a distance of 100 meters from the landing of the flyover so that they avoid traversing a distance of 1.5 kilometers to take a U-turn to reach their houses from one side of the road to another. The Project Director Chandrashekhar said that he would certainly look into the request and see if their request can be accommodated since he felt their request was justified.
However, he added that every developmental project will have its own advantages and disadvantages. The citizens will have to forgo some of the earlier benefits.
