National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL) looks to award 500 km of projects in the current financial year.
NHIDCL, a government company mandated to fast-track road projects in tough terrains, including border areas, has awarded 15 projects covering 333 km with an estimated cost of Rs 3,799 crore in the last fiscal.
"Having awarded projects for building 208 km highways in Arunanchal Pradesh and 82 km in Assam besides 43 km in Nagaland, we propose to award at least 500 km in the current fiscal," an NHIDCL official said.
The official said NHIDCL has also invited bids for awarding consultancies for preparation of detailed project reports (DPRs) in seven states under Bharatmala and scheme for connecting backward areas, religious and tourist places and ADB funded projects, covering a total length of 2,900 km.
The Bharat Mala project envisages construction of 5,000 km of road network all along the borders and coastal areas at a cost of Rs 55,000 crore.
NHIDCL, a fully-owned company of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had awarded 18 projects in 2014-15 for building 600 km of roads at an expenditure of about Rs 6,447 crore in Tripura, Assam, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh.
The corporation was incorporated in July 2014 with the aim to fast-track highway projects that have been pending with the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) for several years. It also targets expediting projects mainly in the North-East and areas sharing international borders to boost economic activities, besides job creation.
