(a) the details of funds demanded by the State Governments for maintenance and repairing of National Highways during the last three years along with the funds allocated/released as per their demands;
(b) whether the States are not getting funds for the purpose from the Union Government as per their demand;
(c) if so, the details thereof along with the reasons therefor; and
(d) whether there are any rules for maintenance and repairing of National Highways and if so, the details thereof?
THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)
(a) to (d) The development and maintenance of National Highways (NHs) is a continuous process. The works are accordingly taken up on NHs from time to time as per inter-se-priority, traffic density, and availability of funds to keep the NHs in traffic worthy conditions.
The Maintenance and Repair (M&R) of NHs is governed by the NHs Rules, 1957 amended from time to time and extant policies of the Ministry. The estimation of fund requirement for M&R of NHs is made on the basis of “Report of the Committee on Norms for Maintenance of Roads in India” published by the Indian Roads Congress in 2001.
The inter-se priority for carrying out M&R of NHs generally depends upon nature and extent of damages, overall condition of NH stretches, traffic density, minimum works required to be undertaken to ensure traffic worthiness of NHs, the NH stretches under Defect Liability Period (DLP) obligation or stretches under Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT)/ Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM)/ Operate, Maintenance and Transfer (OMT) Concessions, ongoing works on NHs, status of action taken up for new developmental works, availability of funds, etc.
Usually, the Annual Outlay earmarked for M&R of NHs have been about 35% to 45% of the estimated requirement of funds as per the Ministry’s norms. Efforts are made to keep the NHs in traffic worthiness within available resources as per inter-se priority and traffic density.
The State/Union Territory (UT)/ Agency - wise details of funds allocated and spent/released for M&R of NHs during last three years is annexed.