(a) the plan of the Government for construction of National Highways (NHs) in the country at present;
(b) the details of the proposals received for construction of NHs in the country especially in Uttar Pradesh;
(c) whether the Government proposes four laning of NH-730 and Gorakhpur-Partawal-Maharajganj-Thuthibari and Partawal-Paniyara-Kampienganj-Basti highways by upgrading the various sections; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)
(a) to (d) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 348 ANSWERED ON 12.12.2019 ASKED BY SHRI PANKAJ CHAUDHARY REGARDING CONSTRUCTION OF NATIONAL HIGHWAYS
(a) The development and maintenance of National Highways (NHs) is a continuous process; works on NHs are taken up accordingly depending upon inter-se priority, traffic density and availability of funds to keep the NHs in traffic worthy condition.
The Ministry took up development of NHs/ roads under various phases of National Highways Development Project (NHDP), Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for the North East Region (SARDP-NE) including Arunachal Pradesh Package of Roads, Special Programme for Development of Roads in the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas, Externally Aided Projects (EAP), National Highways (Original) [NH (O)] scheme, etc.
Various phases of NHDP envisaged development of NHs to 4/6 lane and 2 lane NH standards, development of expressways, etc. Development of most of the roads/ NHs under other schemes envisages their upgradation to 2 lane NH standards.
The Ministry had taken up detailed review of NHs network with a view to develop the road connectivity to Border areas, development of Coastal roads including road connectivity for Non-Major ports, improvement in the efficiency of National Corridors, development of Economic Corridors, Inter Corridors and Feeder Routes along with integration with Sagarmala, etc., under “Bharatmala Pariyojana”. Under this proposal, the Ministry has identified stretches for development of about 26,200 km length of Economic Corridors, 8,000 km of Inter Corridors, 7,500 km of Feeder Routes, 5,300 km Border and International connectivity roads, 4,100 km Coastal and Port connectivity roads, 1,900 km Expressways, National Corridor Efficiency improvement by development of ring roads around 28 cities, decongestion of about 125 choke points and 66 congestion points, development of 35 nos. of Multimodal Logistics Parks.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the proposal for investment approval for Phase-I of “Bharatmala Pariyojana” during its meeting held on 24.10.2017. “Bharatmala Pariyojana” Phase–I includes development of about 9,000 km length of Economic corridors, about 6,000 km length of Inter-corridor and feeder roads, about 5,000 km length of National Corridors Efficiency improvements, about 2,000 km length of Border and International connectivity roads, about 2,000 km length of Coastal and port connectivity roads, about 800 km length of Expressways and balance length of about 10,000 km of roads under NHDP. The programme is targeted for completion in 2021-2022.
The general principle for upgradation of roads under Phase-I of Bharatmala Pariyojana includes development of Economic corridors primarily to 4/6 lane NH standards, Inter-corridor and feeder roads primarily to 4 lane NH standards and Border, International connectivity roads, Coastal and port connectivity roads primarily to 2 lane NH standards.
(b) 436 proposals amounting to Rs. 16,057 crore have been received from State Governments / Union Territories during 2019-20 for development of NHs entrusted with them, which includes 8 proposals amounting to Rs. 893 crore received from the Government of State of Uttar Pradesh.
(c) and (d) Total length of NH-730 in the State of Uttar Pradesh is about 564.75 km. About 216.40 km length has been developed to Two Lane / Two lane with Paved Shoulder as per NH standards / Strengthened. Works for widening to Two Lane / Two lane with Paved Shoulder as per NH standards / strengthening have been taken up in about 348.35 km.
The State Government of Uttar Pradesh has taken up development of Gorakhpur – Partawal section of NH-727 BB of about 31.35 km length to 4-lane standards and Maharajganj to Thuthibari section of NH-730S of about 39 km length to 2-lane standards and accordingly have not handed over these stretches of NHs to the Ministry. Partawal to Maharajganj section of NH-730 of about 22km length has been developed to 2 lane configuration with paved shoulder.
Partawal – Paniyara-Bhaurabari section of NH-328 of about 25.89 km length is included under Annual Plan 2019-20 for widening to 2-lane NH Standards. Balance Stretch of Bhaurabari to Basti via Kampienganj of about 71km length is of 2-lane standards and is in traffic worthy condition.
There are no proposals at this stage for development of these NHs to 4-lane standards.
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