India will seek a $3-billion (Rs 15,000 crore) loan from World Bank to convert 6,376 km of single-lane national highways (NH) to two-lanes.

Road Transport and Highways Minister Kamal Nath would meet World Bank chief Robert Zoellick during his seven-day visit to the USA and put forward the proposal to seek the loan. Nath left for the USA late last night.

Before his departure, Nath told newsmen that he had already held preliminary discussions with the World Bank and “they were willing to do what they were not wanting earlier”.

He said the government would bear 20 per cent equity of the total cost and the rest would be sought from the World Bank. India had 19,702 km single-lane national highways that didn’t fall under the National Highway Development Programme (NHDP).

The ministry had already approved funds to be pumped in as equity (20 per cent of the project cost) for the purpose. Nath said the work would be carried out on cash contract basis. “We are pushing the project and are hopeful of taking it up in the next few months,” he added.

Having made announcement of constructing 20-km road stretch everyday, the minister has been holding road shows abroad with the idea of attracting investment. He is looking at $60 billion in investment over the next three years.

Ever since he took charge, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has awarded nine projects covering 1,324 km involving Rs 12,154 crore. It is looking at awarding another six projects worth Rs 8,600 crore over the next three months for the construction of 577 kms of highways.

As part of efforts to give importance to expressways, Nath said he would be bringing in the Expressway Act in next monsoon session of Parliament to create a separate Expressway Authority. Till then, a separate expressway division had been set up in the NHAI.

In order to avoid delay in land acquisition, there is also a plan to set up 150 special land acquisition units of which 51 are already functional.

The minister expects several recommendations made by the committee headed by BK Chaturvedi, Member, Planning Commission, to be cleared during the next two weeks. The committee was set up to suggest strategies to improve implementation of the NHDP.

But he declined to comment on whether all recommendations would get a nod.

Source: The Tribune