Question : NH

(a) whether the Port Connectivity Special Purpose Vehicle Project was started by the Government to connect NH-41 road and connect it with the golden quadrilateral project;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the work is far from completion even after the project was started way back in 2002 with a target date of 2005;

(d) if so, the reasons for the inordinate delay;

(e) whether the Government has taken any steps to expedite the project; and

(f) if so, the time by which the said project is likely to be completed and connectivity with Haldia Port is likely to be improved?

MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS (SHRI JITIN PRASADA)

(a) & (b) Yes Madam. A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) namely Calcutta-Haldia Port Road Co. Ltd (CHPRCL) was constituted to implement the four laning of NH-41 from Kolaghat (km 0.500) to Haldia (km 52.700) for connecting Haldia Port with Golden Quadrilateral.

(c) to (f) The project was started in September, 2003 by a Joint Venture Company M/s. CWHEC-HCIL (JV) but the contract was terminated on 26th April 2007 due to slow progress, non participation of lead partner of the company and fundamental breach of contract. Balance work was assigned to a new contractor M/s. Dineshchandra R Agarwal Infracon Pvt. Ltd on September, 2008 with a target date of 30th September, 2010. However, the project got delayed due to poor law & order problem as the crusher location at Shilda resulting in less production and transportation of the aggregate. Moreover construction of Road Over Bridge (ROB) on NH-41 was got delayed due to delay in clearance from South Eastern Railway. Four laning of NH-41 has completed in 1st week of February, 2012 (except railway portion of Mecheda ROB) and over all progress of the project is 93 % as on 20th March 2012. Co-ordination meetings are held with South Eastern Railway as well as local authority to resolve the issues related to the project. The project is targeted for completion by September, 2012.