Nagpur: An RTI reply by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has sprang a surprise by revealing that no contractor was penalized for any irregularities in construction of various stretches of National Highway in the past six years (January 1, 2011 to July 31, 2016). The National Highways were constructed in accordance with the specifications. (The specifications for road and bridge work of MoRT&H Revision-IV and Schedule-D of Concession Agreement (Specifications and Standards) and relevant IRCSP-84, 2010 & MoRT&H Standards and Specifications).
The RTI reply by NHAI was in response to a poser by RTI activist Abhay Kolarkar.
Construction was done by various contractors such as NH-06: Nagpur-Wainganga Bridge Section of NH-06 from Km 498.000 to Km 544.200, CH/MH Border to Wainganga Bridge Section of NH-06 from Km 405.000 to Km 485.000. NH7: MP/MH Border-Nagpur from Km 652.000 to Km 729.000, Kamptee-Kanhan and Nagpur bypass and maintenance of already four-laned section from Km 14.585 to Km 36.600. NH-69: Nagpur-Betul Section from Km 137/00 to Km 257/400 in the State of Madhya Pradesh and from KM 3/00 to Km 59/300 in the State of Maharashtra. Such other works were also carried out by the contractors.
The RTI reply further informed that a total number of 3620 trees were cut for construction of Nagpur-Wainganga Bridge Section of NH06. A whopping 25735 trees were cut for construction of MP/MH Border to Nagpur, Kamptee, Kanhan Bypass in the section of NH-7. Similarly, 13180 trees were cut in Nagpur-Saoner-Betul Section. On the other hand, 12850 trees were planted in the Nagpur-Wainganga Bridge Section, 24103 avenue plants have been planted in MP/MH Border-Nagpur and Kamptee-Kanhan and Nagpur bypass section. Similarly, 1.55 lakh trees were planted in Nagpur-Saoner-Betul National Highway No. 69.
The RTI reply said that a grant of Rs 20.58 crore was sanctioned for construction of four-laned ROB at Hinganghat on NH-7 in the period from January 1, 2011 to July 31, 2016 and the entire amount was spent on the project.
Similarly, one Toll Plaza is in operation at Mathani at Km 523.400, one Toll Plaza at Sendurwafa at Km 449.260, two integrated Toll Plazas are in operation on NH-7 at Borkhedi, Mansar, one Check Plaza on Nagpur Bypass and one Check Plaza on Kamptee-Kanhan Bypass. One Toll Plaza is also in operation at Daroda ar Borkhedi-Jam-Wadner Section of NH-7.
There are no cases filed/pending against the National Highways Authority of India. But the NHAI has filed a case against M/s JSR-KCL and it is pending in District Court, Nagpur.
