Over 44 per cent of major infrastructure projects, including National Highways (NHs), each costing over Rs 150 crore, have faced delays due to various reasons, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari told the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
As of March 2024, a total of 952 infrastructure projects were under construction. Out of these, 419 projects have surpassed their original completion schedules.
Gadkari, responding to a question from Trinamool Congress MP Mohammed Nadimul Haque, highlighted that these delays affected different stages of the projects, excluding those under termination or foreclosure consideration.
“Amongst 952 projects, including National Highways (NHs) projects, costing more than Rs.150 crore which were under construction in March 2024, 419 projects spilled beyond their original completion schedule, missing one or the other of the various stages of project completion up to March 2024 and excluding projects under consideration for termination/foreclosure,” he said.
The Minister identified key reasons for these delays, including land acquisition issues, delays in obtaining statutory clearances, encroachment removal, law and order issues, poor contractor performance, and unforeseen events like the Covid-19 pandemic, heavy rainfall, floods, and cyclones.
To address these challenges, the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has implemented measures to streamline land acquisition, environmental clearance, and utility shifting processes. Additionally, the government is working closely with state governments and other stakeholders to resolve bottlenecks and ensure timely completion of projects.
Among the states, Maharashtra recorded the highest number of delayed projects, with 59 out of 101 projects facing delays. Other states with significant delays include Manipur, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Jammu & Kashmir, and Uttarakhand. Even the National Capital saw delays in three out of five projects.
While Gadkari did not provide specific details on whether the delays have led to cost overruns, he assured that not all delayed projects incur additional costs. He explained that if the delay is not the contractor’s fault, price escalation is paid as per contract terms, which may or may not result in extra costs. In cases where the delay is the contractor’s responsibility, damages are imposed, and no extra cost arises from the delay.
