Union Budget 2013: Now, regulator to monitor road sector

NEW DELHI: Now, there will be a regulator for road sector that will address concerns of road users and private developers as well. The authority is likely to have mandate to look into people’s complaints such as poor maintenance, lack of promised facilities and safety measures, service-level benchmarks and monitoring compliance of concession agreements both against developers and NHAI.
Pitching for regulator, finance minister Chidambaram said, “The road construction sector has reached a certain level of maturity. Challenges not envisaged earlier including financial stress, enhanced construction risk and contract management issues are best addressed by an independent authority.” The highways ministry would soon move a cabinet note on this.
Signaling revival of road sector, Chidambaram said 3,000 km of national highway (NH) work would be awarded in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat by September, 2013. Majority of these projects will be on 100% government funding known as engineering, procurement and construction (EPC).
Chidambaram said that government will see assistance from multi-lateral funding agencies like World Bank and Asian Development Bank for road projects in northeastern states and connecting them to Myanmar.
Union Budget 2013
Budget news 2013
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