NHAI targets 5,000 km roads for fiscal

In an attempt to close the fiscal on a promising note, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) plans to award 10-15% more projects this fiscal as compared to FY16, said Chairman, NHAI, Yudhvir Malike, adding that the road building nodal agency will complete the process of awarding closer to 5,000-5,200 km of projects by the end of the financial year. In April last year, NHAI had announced an ambitious target of awarding 25,000 km of road project in fiscal year 2017 of which, 15,000 km would fall under NHAI and 10,000 km under the Ministry and National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL). To counter roadblocks, he said, NHAI plans to avoid any project awards unless 80% of the land is in possession and statutory clearances received. He said availability of funds is not an issue in achieving the target.