Question : Road Over Bridge Projects

(a) whether the Government has conducted any study regarding the viability of new Road Over Bridge (ROB) projects in the country and if so, the details thereof;

(b) the details of the ROB projects started during the last three years, State-wise;

(c) whether the Government has taken measures to mobilize funds to complete certain ROB projects lying incomplete/ pending due to paucity of funds;

(d) if so, the details thereof along with the details of such projects, State-wise; and

(e) the total amount spent on ROB projects being implemented on national highways during the last five years?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
(SHRI MANSUKH L. MANDAVIYA)

(a) to (e) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 49 FOR ANSWER ON 13th DECEMBER, 2018 ASKED BY SHRI KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE AND SHRI ARVIND SAWANT REGARDING “ROAD OVER BRIDGE PROJECTS”

(a) to (e) Ministry has already decided to replace all level crossings on National Highway corridors by Road Over Bridges/ Road Under Bridges (ROBs/RUBs), subject to availability of funds. Ministry has to construct complete ROBs/ RUBs (including railway bridge portion) on National Highways in the country at their own cost on single entity basis. In this regard, a MOU was signed between Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways for construction of ROBs/ RUBs and its approaches in replacement of existing level crossings.

The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) is implementing most of the major National Highway Development projects in the country and availability of funds is not a constraint. The ROBs/RUBs are generally constructed as a part of major Highway development project. The State wise details of ROBs/RUBs of NHAI is placed at Annexure-I. Besides, some ROBs/RUBs are also constructed by the State PWDs. Ministry has also launched a major scheme for construction of ROBs/RUBs, namely, Setu Bharatam which includes 174 nos. of standalone ROB/RUBs. The State wise details of these ROBs/RUBs are placed at Annexure-II. There are difficulties in getting land for approaches to ROBs/RUBs, especially, in the built up areas. Moreover, the cost of acquisition of such land is also very high. Ministry has, therefore, decided that priority would be accorded to those ROBs/RUBs where no land acquisition is involved or to adopt the Grand Challenge Mechanism to take up ROBs/RUBs where land is made available by the State Government, at its cost. An MOU has been signed by the Ministry with the State of Maharashtra in this behalf and other States have been requested to sign MOUs on the same lines.