INDIA PLANS MORE ROADS
Two key highway projects have been granted official approval in India. The Bareilly-Sitapur and Parwanoo-Solan highways will feature two lanes in either direction and are being offered under 20 year concession packages, with the 30 month construction period included in the time-frame. The Bareilly -Sitapur project is worth some US$220 million while the Parwanoo-Solan project is worth $115.5 million.
Both projects are design, build, finance, operate and transfer packages. Meanwhile as part of the Indian Government's Central Road Fund (CRF) project, work will be carried out to upgrade the Yelamanchali-Achutapuram Junction and Anakapally-Achutapuram Junction four-lane link roads. In addition, during the first phase of upgrade project, Kathipudi-Kakinada of National Highway 214 will be expanded to four lanes. Visakhapatnam-Rajahmundry of the National Highway No 5 will be expanded to six lanes. In addition plans are in hand to build a new road linking Kakinada to Annavaram.
These investment decisions coincide with the issue of a new study funded by the World Bank says that India may need to invest US$18.44 billion in its road sector by 2012 to achieve a high rate of growth. If roads are constructed at a medium pace, around half of this budget will be required by 2011/2012, while if the sector grows at a slow pace, a third will be needed. The study is: India's Road Construction Industry: Capacity Issues, Constraints and Recommendations.
