Global Analysts laud Delhi-Mumbai e-way as a silver line

Analysts across the world have taken note of the appreciable pace and progress of Delhi-Mumbai expressway and have lauded the project as a silver lining in the roads sector. A research report by foreign brokerage, Credit Suisse notes that expressway activity is impressive with almost the entire stretch in action. This is the first greenfield expressway by the NHAI. This is also the first time that NHAI is working on a greenfield alignment for such a large project as it turned out to be cheaper and faster based on lower land acquisition costs and lesser burden of shifting utilities and rehabilitation of people living along the corridor. This was necessitated as the existing corridor is already six-lane but congested and incremental development is constrained. Project per se is not dramatically large at 1,250 km versus NHAI's annual ordering of 3,000 km but reflects a positive fresh approach and speed of execution, the researchers noted. The report notes the impressive progress on the Delhi-Mumbai expressway and the entire stretch is in action. Of the total original distance of 1,261 km, action has started on almost the entire stretch as 497 km is currently under construction, 162 km has been awarded and the contractor has to begin work and another 569 km, which is in the bidding stage. The DPR is pending for just one stretch of 33 km and that there is an additional 91 km spur to JNPT that has been planned and for which a DPR is also under preparation.