HAM, TOT, FASTags initiatives by govt shift focus back to road projects

Thrust on technology has put the spotlight back on road projects

Hybrid-annuity model (HAM) projects and monetisation of roads - initiatives by the Union government in the last few years - have brought the spotlight back on road projects that had seen banks wither away due to regulatory and other issues in the past.

Experts believe these initiatives and a thrust on technology in the last few years have brought the focus back on the road sector, which was earlier struggling with issues of land acquisition, non-performing assets, failure of BOT (build-operate-transfer), and banks’ reluctance in giving loans.

“Earlier we had gone the whole hog in awarding road projects on BOT.