India: Highway and road projects [Archive] - Page 6

Suraj

April 22nd, 2006, 10:43 PM

Well, the Delhi-Gurgaon expressway suffered from poor project management, specifically the number of stakeholders who had to be dealt with independently, thereby requiring several times more effort at just clearing up the bureaucratic hurdles. This has been described in detail in recent news articles.

Further, the procedure entailed in infrastructural development must have a generally standardized mechanism for covering each step. There's the eminent domain and land acquisition laws in India, for example. How relevant are they to what we want to do ? Compensation and resettlement policies need both clarification and effective implementation. I support 'affirmative action' in the form of returns on such projects being provided to those displaced, at a fixed minimum rate/tenure. E.g. payout gains on a real estate development project to those displaced @ X% for N years.

Then there's the environmental laws. Granted, there are several professional protesters and NIMBY/NIABYs (not in any backyard) who do nothing more than lower the signal/noise ratio, but it is still an important step. Just how tune is the environmental ministry and its laws with developmental goals, and how transparent and expedient is the process ? If I were a developer, I'd like to login to www.envfor.nic.in and track the approval process on my project. I don't really care to go there and read about the mating habits of the yellow tailed mynah of the western ghats.

Another issue is that of central-state and state-state interaction and coordination on projects that entail coverage of multiple states. That means a clearance mechanism that doesn't entail the developer having to run from pillar to post, often having to put up with contradictory positions.

Also, there's financing. The GoI doesn't really have to spend a huge amount in public projects. There's a massive amount of latent domestic and incoming foreign capital that is dying for investment opportunities within an effective regulartory framework. The Reliance Petroleum IPO that closed yesterday was for a $650M issue but it attracted a downright ridiculous $32 billion! Some may be impressed at such a world record, but to me it points to a drastic inability to utilize capital more efficiently, not to mention the indication of just how much capital is there waiting to be invested.

None of these are failures of democracy. We have to change our administrative system from a quasi colonial framework to one geared to furthering economic developmental goals. We can easily hit sustained double digit growth for a few years if such a reorientation occurs - the Chinese grew at 12-13% for about three years from 1992 in the immediate aftermath of Deng's Southern Push, which created Shenzhen and other SEZs there.

Sorry for the semi-rant and for derailing this thread.

Suncity

April 22nd, 2006, 10:50 PM

Sorry for the semi-rant and for derailing this thread.

Actually it is pretty informative. I always like reading your and Sridhar's comments.

Suncity

April 22nd, 2006, 10:55 PM

Editorial: SC verdict has exposed govt’s untenable position on BMIC

http://deccanherald.com/deccanherald/apr222006/editpage1925242006421.asp

This part is the best:
The High Court had imposed a cost of Rs 50,000 on three persons, including a JD(U) MLA and a CPI(M) MLA, who had alleged irregularities in the project and questioned land acquisition. The Supreme Court has now directed the three persons to pay Rs 50,000 to the Legal Aid Authority, a positive punitive measure. The two MLAs and another person were not able to prove their charges to the satisfaction of the High Court or the Supreme Court.

Maybe they could have made it at least 100,000. The only fear is that these MLAs will probably exctract the fine as bribes from contractors or donations from well wishers.

Putting them to work at a daily wage of Rs 50 for a 1000 days at the site would have been better. But then they would have probably turned into union leaders.

IndiansUnite

April 22nd, 2006, 11:47 PM

A photo of the flyovers (or is it going to be mostly an elevated highway?) under construction on the same road

Its elevated at some places.
6-7 flyovers are supposed to be operational by Jul-Aug-SEP,One just came up and ones coming in May :)

magestom

April 23rd, 2006, 03:29 AM

Is it completely acess controlled? No four lane intersections. Right???

Suncity

April 23rd, 2006, 04:47 AM

I am not sure how much of this expressway is done.

Bangalore Mysore Expressway
photo copyright SumanthR

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/9991/blrmysoreexwy6wk.jpg

Aryabhata

April 23rd, 2006, 05:36 AM

I am not sure how much of this expressway is done.

Bangalore Mysore Expressway
photo copyright SumanthR

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/9991/blrmysoreexwy6wk.jpg

Any idea if this is the NICE or the Govt owned highway?

Suncity

April 23rd, 2006, 06:02 AM

Any idea if this is the NICE or the Govt owned highway?

I don't know.

The photographer captioned the photo with this - "Thats the new Mysore-Bangalore Expressway!". The photo is dated March 31, 2006.

magestom

April 23rd, 2006, 06:13 AM

It is NICE but what is there website?

Suncity

April 23rd, 2006, 06:48 AM

It is NICE but what is there website?

http://www.nicelimited.com/

Not sure if it is maintained.

Tintin27

April 23rd, 2006, 07:01 AM

I dont think that is the Mysore expressway. That looks the SH going to mysore.. It was being fourlaned when I went to mysore from blr . Expressway will be access controlled and will be six laned.. SOmething like Mumbai - pune expressway.

magestom

April 23rd, 2006, 08:06 AM

kronik

April 24th, 2006, 04:42 AM

NHAI to go for jazzier, zippier toll plazas (http://www.financialexpress.com/latest_full_story.php?content_id=124618)

After laying stretches of bitumen across the country, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has decided it’s time it gave an all new look — complete with colour, aesthetics and sophisticated gadgets — to its highways.

To begin with, it has just approved structures designed by the National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad.

While NID has provided five designs for NHAI, the latter has zeroed in on three of them and plans to install sophisticated equipment that can weigh vehicles in advance, complete their 3-D scanning, classify them and even automatically deduct toll amount within seconds as is done in most developed countries. The measure will plug toll pilferage by almost 95 per cent.

Global tenders will be invited next month to equip toll plazas with the latest technology at 14 locations along NH-1 (Delhi-Ambala), NH-8 (Delhi-Mumbai) and NH-2 (Delhi- Kolkata ). The Indian Express gets a sneak peek of what will they have:

Laser-based 3-D profiling of vehicles: The Automatic Vehicle Counter-cum- Classifier (AVCC) used widely in Europe will now be at NHAI toll plazas and will scan the vehicle approaching the plaza, classify it and charge accordingly.

Electronic toll collection: While the DND flyover used it for the first time in the country, NHAI will use an even more advanced technology. Regular drivers on the stretch will be able to pay by just swiping their smart cards near the plaza. Other vehicles, if equipped with on-board units, will be able to just drive down the plaza and the toll amount will be deducted automatically.

Database of vehicles: NHAI will over the next three years be able to build a comprehensive database of vehicles using its highways. The licence plate reader installed will track vehicles in case of violations. The plazas will be able to communicate with each other and stop vehicles reporting any violation.

Weigh-in-motion system: Tenders have already been invited for over 12 locations like Karnal, Asansol, Ahmedabad, Orissa borders, etc. Through sensors embedded in the road, goods vehicles will be weighed as they approach the toll plaza. The system will monitor overloading and prevent damages to roads and bridges.

Video Incident Detection System: Automatically starts recording if there is any sudden change/disruption in traffic movement.

Variable Message Sign Boards: To warn about diversions and even road temperature and bad weather ahead!

vadi

April 24th, 2006, 05:28 AM

nice. nice.

d_rk

April 24th, 2006, 06:04 AM

Rajokri link revives Gurgaon spirits : But Intersection To Be Officially Opened After May 10, Says NHAI

By Payal Saxena/TNN

Gurgaon: It’s a small taste of things to come. The 964-metre Rajokri flyover flashes by in a minute, but it gives thousands of harried Delhi-Gurgaon commuters a tantalising glimpse of all the much-delayed expressway, between the Capital and its booming suburb, can be.

The experience is fleeting, as on both sides of the Rajokri intersection, lie mounds of earth and detours as the expressway makes its halting progress. But the flyover, currently open on a trial run, may well revive the hopes of Gurgaon residents and commuters, that the run into town might actually become free of slow-speed crawls some day.

If all goes well, say NHAI officials, and they are in the habit of saying so every now and again, then the intersection will be opened officially for the public along with Rajeev intersection after May 10. The flyover has, however, not been provided with lighting at the moment and only a mast has been installed at the stretch.

Signages have been installed at the flyover and marshals will also be stationed in some time. Of a promised total of eight flyovers, Rajokri is the first to have been constructed. The stretch from Rao Tula Ram junction to Palam continues to be the bottleneck. This road, which carries traffic from and to the airport, adds 15 minutes on an average to travel time.

Said Rajbeer Singh, a commuter: ‘‘Driving on Rajokri intersection was fun. It has brought a lot of hope to us with regards to the flyover.’’ Said Priya Das, another regular traveller: ‘‘Opening of the flyover has come as a pleasant surprise indeed. The travel time too has reduced.’’

However, there was a case of drunken driving reported at the service road on Thursday night. In the incident, a trailer truck lost control and a car coming from behind smashed into it. Two people were injured in the accident. The dark tarmac, which looks smooth and even, is a trifle bumby too. But most Gurgaonwalas will live with that.

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/getimage.dll?path=CAP/2006/04/24/5/Img/Pc0051000.jpg
FAST TRACK: The flyover now has signages and marshals will be deployed here soon.

vadi

April 28th, 2006, 06:29 PM

This gives an insight as to one of the reasons as to why it took as long as did to reach this stage for the BMIC project. Official, politcal spanner is another reason. Also some insight as to why Kheny talks about monorail, why the last update on NICE website was in 2000.

Downside to a road corridor
By V Ranganathan
The moral of the story is public decision-making needs to be strengthened with a great deal of professionalism.

Recently, the Supreme Court awarded exemplary punishment to the Karnataka government by dismissing their appeal and directing them to pay Rs 5 lakhs by way of costs to the Project Company, Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE) in the Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project. The emerging concept of Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) in infrastructure has taken a beating in the process. The PPP is supposed to blend the public purpose of the government with the finance, professionalism and efficiency of the private sector. The flip side of PPP is that it may combine the worst aspects of the players: political expediency, bureaucratic apathy and private sector greed. The BMIC seems to illustrate the point.

The BMIC involves a novel idea of how a financially non-viable project can be made viable by cashing in on the external benefits of the project through the development of real estate along the road corridor. This is the first time cross-subsidising is not only at the very core of the project but also where the primary road project provides merely an excuse for the secondary real estate project. The real estate component was indeed lucrative, considering the pressure on land on the Bangalore-Whitefield section due to its being the IT corridor. Not surprisingly, two presumably cheaper alternatives are not compared: to improve the existing State highway itself – though this is simultaneously being done by the State PWD with ADB loan assistance – and also to use the rail track between Bangalore and Mysore better.

The project is bristling with oddities. The Government signed the Framework Agreement with NICE, and both parties agreed that it would be a confidential document. Even the Karnataka Right to Information Act could not pierce through the veil of confidentiality, as the agreement was done before the Act came into being. Thus the whole project was put beyond the pale of public scrutiny and discussion, thereby harming the government’s own interest. The government is an agent of the public, the public being the principal. That being so, how can an agreement between two parties, where one party is the government, ever be confidential and be kept away from the principal, the public?
The Chairman of NICE, Mr Vaghul, also happens to be the former Chairman of ICICI, the lead bank of the project, which raises issues of conflict of interest. A senior official of the government, who was dealing with the firm ostensibly to protect the government’s interest, while in service, joined the firm after retirement!

The High Court found the former Chief Secretary of the State – who is now heading the Right to Information section of the Government!– guilty of filing a false affidavit and ordered the initiation of prosecution against him. The government decided to spend public money on the cost of his litigation!

The project was sold to the government on the basis that the government need not bear any part of the expenditure of about Rs 1600 crores. After the concession period of 30 years the Expressway would become government property under the BOT arrangement. Though the MOU for the project was initially signed in 1995 by Deve Gowda during his tenure as chief minister with a consortium of three foreign firms, he later turned against it. Since his party, the JD (S), was a critical partner in the coalition government (headed by Dharam Singh) the government itself turned against the project.

When questions were raised in the Assembly, the Government appointed a Committee of Bureaucrats under the chairmanship of former PWD Secretary KC Reddy. The terms of reference included changes in FWA (after it has been signed!), determining if excess land was given including a review of technical reports, designs and even drawings! The committee has performed the balancing act of actually giving everything that the company had asked for in the township – which is where differences can arise – and at the same time giving a politically convenient but misleading impression to the public that excess land has been given. The so-called excess land can then be only the land meant for Section B and Section C of the project, which has apparently been given in advance, since the financial close for these two have not been achieved. So far, no proper cost benefit analysis has been done on its Mega Project. Others cannot also do it since the project document is out of bounds for public scrutiny. The moral of the story is public decision-making needs to be strengthened with a great deal of professionalism.

Deccan Herald-Panorama (http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/apr282006/panorama1732532006427.asp)

sammyk

April 29th, 2006, 12:50 AM

And an expressway is always raised above ground or has side railing! Just like Mumbai-Pune, Amnebad Expressway, Delhi Noida. Expressways also are access controlled unlike highways. That means they have ramps instead of intersections. The flow of traffic is able to keep on moving.

An expressway does not always have to be elevated. Only in areas it has to go above other roads and whatnot. No point in wasting money and elevating it for no reason.

IndiansUnite

April 29th, 2006, 05:17 AM

I agree with Sammyk.

anyways heres some good news from HT april 29(sorry no link)

Brand new look for Gurgaon Expressway

HERE’S SOME good news for motorists driving between Delhi and Gurgaon. The 28-km long DelhiGurgaon Expressway will have a brand-new global look.

The (NHAI) has divided the entire stretch into three zones. Both sides of the Expressway will be beautified. Special focus would be laid on various types of lighting, edges, central gaps, signages and colours.

No wonder, the NHAI has named the stretch starting from Rao Tula Ram (RTR) Junction till the 32-lane toll plaza as ‘VIP Glamour.’ That’s not all. The stretch between the toll plaza and Rajiv Chowk in Gurgaon would be named as ‘Commuter’s Realm’ to fall in line with Gurgaon high-ris es and the last patch between Rajiv Chowk and 42nd Milestone has been named as ‘Tourist’s Paradise.’ According to RP Indoria, chief project director, the idea is to make the expressway not a road but a feature .

“The 9-km Delhi stretch between RTR Junction till the DelhiGurgaon border sees a heavy VVIP movement and for them we have planned a different look. This stretch would be painted white while Commuter’s Realm and Tourist’s Paradise would be painted brown and green," Indoria said. The lighting arrangement at the VIP Glamour would illuminate the stretch in a special way and signages here would be Ishaped. The signages at Commuter’s Realm would be T-shaped while it would be inverted Lshaped in Tourist’s paradise.

magestom

April 30th, 2006, 05:46 PM

http://www.navhindtimes.com/stories.php?part=news&Story_ID=04309Survey for 6-lane expressway soon (http://www.navhindtimes.com/stories.php?part=news&Story_ID=04309)
NT Staff Reporter

Panaji, April 29: The proposed six-lane expressway connecting both
districts of the state will be built 200 mts away from the Konkan
railway track, running parallel to it, on eastern side. The detail
survey and planning for the project will start within a fortnight.

The expressway would begin from the Amerem village situated along the
boundary of the Pernem taluka, and move through Khaznem, Amai, Nagzar,
Dhargal, Tivim, Shirgaon, Mayem, Old Goa, Carambolim, Neura up to
Cortalim.

It would further pass through Verna, Cansaulim, Margao, Navelim,
Cuncolim, Balli and Barsem, right to the Canacona taluka. In Canacona
taluka, the expressway will pass through Mashem and Lolyem villages
and connect with the existing national highway.

Earlier this month, the Chief Minister, Mr Pratapsing Rane, along with
the Chief Secretary, Mr J P Singh carried out an aerial survey of the
proposed highway.

Government sources informed about the precaution taken to ensure that
minimum houses would be affected due to construction of the expressway.

After completion of the detail survey and planning for the project,
the picture would be clear as regards number of families to be
rehabilitated, the sources pointed out.

The six-lane size of the proposed expressway has made the government
acquire 90 mt wide stretch of land running parallel to the railway
track. The length of the expressway will be 105 km.

Three new bridges, one each at Colvale, Old Goa and Cortalim, will
form part of the expressway. The work for the project will commence
with construction of a single-lane road, to be expanded subsequently.

As the expressway is being constructed under the public-private
partnership on build, own, operate and transfer basis, toll would be
charged from vehicles for plying on the same so as to reimburse
expenditure incurred on the construction.

The minimum speed with which the vehicles will be allowed to travel on
the expressway will be 80 km per hour and it will not be open for
two-wheeler vehicles. There would be no inter-sections along the
expressway since the vehicles running on it would be travelling at a
very high speed.

A number of construction companies have shown interest in this project
and the government will invite _expression of interest within next two
weeks. The land acquisition process would also begin soon.

If the Mopa airport project takes shape then the travellers commuting
between the new international airport and South Goa and vice versa
will be greatly benefited from the expressway.

magestom

April 30th, 2006, 06:11 PM

Gurgaon expressway will now include Dhaula Kuan

ANIMESH SINGH
Posted online: Monday, April 24, 2006 at 0003 hours IST

NEW DELHI, APRIL 23: The Rs 550-crore Delhi-Gurgaon expressway is all set to be extended by three kilometres from the present 29 km with the inclusion of Dhaula Kuan in the network. The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has invited proposals for consultancy services to prepare a feasibility study and detailed project report (DPR) for improvement and upgradation of Dhaula Kuan to Rao Tula Ram Marg, a three-km stretch of NH-8.
The proposals will have to be submitted by May 9, 2006, and the scope of work includes eight laning of the stretch. The Delhi-Gurgaon expressway, which is both six and eight laned, is expected to be completed by December 2006 — a year behind the schedule.

The ambitious project, which commenced n July 2002, was supposed to finish by December 2005. Even though, till date only 66% of the work has been completed, NHAI officials claim that barring a one-km stretch between Palam junction and Haldiram crossing, the rest of the expressway would be wrapped up by December this year.

The stretch would be finished by June 2007. The expressway starts from Rao Tula Ram Marg and culminates at Haldiram crossing, consisting of a network of flyovers and elevated sections, which would enable access control traffic flow.

Sources, however, say inclusion of the three-km stretch would further delay the final completion of the expressway, as after the proposals for upgradation, bids would be invited for actual implementation of work, and it would take atleast five years to finish the work on the stretch.

Thus, even though by mid 2007 the entire expressway would be fully functional, commuters passing through Dhaula Kuan would still face traffic snarls. NHAI officials, however, are taking cover under technicalities, and terming the inclusion of the new stretch as the second phase of the expressway.

Sources in the highways ministry say that due to the absence of an empowered body, the project has got incessantly delayed.

p2p4

May 2nd, 2006, 11:07 AM

So much for uniformity of expressways - and most of all - for the signages. Why the heck can't they regulate all signages throughout the nation. :bash: :bash: T shape and I shape... my foot !

[ “The 9-km Delhi stretch between RTR Junction till the DelhiGurgaon border sees a heavy VVIP movement and for them we have planned a different look. This stretch would be painted white while Commuter’s Realm and Tourist’s Paradise would be painted brown and green," Indoria said. The lighting arrangement at the VIP Glamour would illuminate the stretch in a special way and signages here would be Ishaped. The signages at Commuter’s Realm would be T-shaped while it would be inverted Lshaped in Tourist’s paradise.[/QUOTE]

Aryabhata

May 8th, 2006, 07:03 AM

F*** Gowda ...

In Gowda country, even SC is not spared
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1693085,0008.htm

vadi

May 8th, 2006, 02:42 PM

bhata,
you beat me to it.
wonder what really got his goat?? :wallbash:

kronik

May 8th, 2006, 04:24 PM

Good old DeveLowda. From what I know of Indian law, he is in violation of a Supreme Court judgement and can be prosecuted for this. I hope the SC can see this ape and his "I am not my father" mini-me doing their best to bring Bangaluru back to the socialist era. I hope the SC realize they are bigger and stronger than this sloth.

Just goes on to prove blood is thicker than water. Its funny that since Krisha, the quality of leadership and decisionmaking has been on a downhill path in the state. These people were against the airport, these people are still against the expressway, were against the Bangalore Metro (and the current CM, despite all he says, is still his father's son), they got rid of the BATF, and are unwilling to listen to any captain of the industry because their egos dont allow it.

And would you blame any business which would want to move out of this city?

Tintin27

May 8th, 2006, 06:53 PM

There are some ppl who can only think of using a reverse gear in the Indian economy.. Laws like this are violated so often and nothing is being done. Kolkata airport's fire service joined the AAI employees during that Mumbai/Delhi privatisation protest which stopped flights from landing in kolkata for nearly 24hrs I think.. Any civilised country in the world, that is like a criminal act as Fire service is a part of the Emergency services. Here, they walk away just like that with assurance from the govt that their jobs wont be lost inspite of what they have done to the thousands and thousands of stranded passengers... and thse politicians will be going in full slogan about the world's biggest democracy... NICE has done everything and now govt is thinking whether to allocate the required land or not.. I feel there are some corrupted officials involved, knowing that Nandi needs the land at any cost to get the expressway open, this is the best way to earn some money as its too late for nandi to abandon the project now...

IndiansUnite

May 10th, 2006, 02:06 AM

http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/2513/100520060050046yd.jpg

Nelaturi

May 11th, 2006, 10:14 AM

bhata,
you beat me to it.
wonder what really got his goat?? :wallbash:

Oh God! Not again....

I thought after the spanking from the SC these SOBs had learnt their lesson. Can they not be forced to part with the land? :bash:

Effer

May 12th, 2006, 12:24 AM

Centre plans to implement $ 50-b highway projects

Hyderabad , May 11

The Union Government is intending to take up highway projects costing about Rs 2,20,000 crore ($50-billion) with a major portion of the projects proposed to be implemented through public private partnership (PPP) model, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) Member (Technical), Mr Nirmal Jit Singh, has said.

Addressing a national seminar on `Road Construction Projects' organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here on Thursday, he said the huge programme requires, apart from substantial private sector financing, a massive expansion in contracting and consultancy sector, human resources in terms of skilled manpower, equipment and improvements in dispute resolution mechanism.

Highway projects

Having already approved projects in three phases of National Highway Development Programme (NHDP), the Centre is currently considering phases IV to VII. Phase-IV would comprise two-laning with shoulders of 20,000 km of national highways.

Phase-V would comprise six-laning of 6,500 km of NHs, primarily the Golden Quadrilateral and some other high-density corridors. Phase-VI comprises constructing 1,000 km of Expressways.

The potential corridors include Vadodara-Mumbai, Delhi-Agra, Delhi-Jaipur, Delhi-Chandigarh, Chennai-Bangalore and Dhambad-Kolkata. Under Phase-VII, the Government plans to take up projects such as ring roads, bypasses and elevated highways, he said.

Road sector `attractive'

According to the Chairman of CII's Mining & Construction Equipment Division, Mr V.R.S. Natarajan, the Confederation is of the view that development of road projects in the country would tremendously benefit the manufacturing industry and would lead to overall GDP growth.

As the investment in the road sector is coming up in a big way, CII views that there are a lot of opportunities for the earthmoving and construction equipment industry to meet the growing demand in this sector.

Plea to Government

In this context, CII has made certain submissions to the Union Ministry of Road Transport & Highways on behalf of the domestic equipment industry.

According to Mr Natarajan, the domestic equipment industry is facing acute crises due to import of second hand machinery. Since there is no restriction on the age of the imported second hand machinery, it leads to grave hardship to the domestic industry.

CII has urged the Government to impose higher import duty on the second hand machinery and also restrict the age of the equipment to seven years.

The Confederation has also asked the Government to reduce the duty on parts and components of equipment compared to the new machinery.

At present, the import duty on the machinery and equipment is 12.5 per cent. Further, CII has also urged the Government to withdraw the Purchase Preference Scheme. According to it, the present scheme of purchase is working against the policy of promoting efficiency and maximising domestic value-addition.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/05/12/images/2006051202670701.jpg

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/05/12/stories/2006051202670700.htm

pding

May 12th, 2006, 02:36 AM

too much talking by these ppl. i don't see any progress. what have they done for national highways in the past six months? how much of new roads were built, or how many more roads were widened? a bill should be passed to make these ppl accountable for their actions not just talking. there has been too much of the later.

raokiranj

May 12th, 2006, 09:04 AM

Hi guyz, i'm Kiran from bangalore..I' recently came across this blog while looking for NH pics from India..ever since i was a kid i'v been a fanatic about roads and highways and distances blah blah..[i guess thats something all of us hv in common here ;)]

regarding the GQ and other NHDP projects in progress by NHAI, its definitely a huge success.. 10 yrs back who wudb dreamt that we would be driving on such world class roads??

Only complaint is the pace of progress. Had the Vajpayee Govt been at the helm, i feel the entire thing wudv been completed a year back. But Congress is resorting to dirty politicking even here :(. They temporarily stalled many strecthes for lack of funds. But they had enough funds to relace all of Vajpayee's photos with those of Sonia :@

Anyway i was both happy and sad to see the "progress" status os GQ. most of delh-mumbai and delhi-kolkata seems to be complete. But the stretch that i frequently travel [NH4] is still trudging along at snail's pace.... and an even greater "frustration" is that i frequently travel upto Haveri .. and beyond Haveri the NH4 is more or less completed upto Pune.. which means only the stretch i ravel is seeing construction activity

Its really a pain.. the roads being dug up, diversions every half a km or so.. anyway it still feels good to see the amount of money being pumped into road projects all over the country.

I was also pleasantly surprised to see so many people share my interest and was spellbound by the huge number of extremely good quality photographs.. keep up the good work :)

Jai Hind.

raokiranj

May 16th, 2006, 03:29 PM

hey guyz,

I was just checking out the thread on "Highest Highway in the world".. http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=337487

Some Karakoram highway in Pakistan and some Tibetan highways seemed to share the honors.. but WHAT ABOUT OUR VERY OWN MANALI-LEH HIGHWAY???

i remember reading somewhere that Manali-Leh is the highest motorable road in the world .. could some1 please post the exact facts and figures.. dammit i also forgot the name of the pass which is the highest motorable stretch..

whats more i think Manali-Leh has been given "Highway" status recently..

sudheeshnairs

May 16th, 2006, 04:07 PM

dammit i also forgot the name of the pass which is the highest motorable stretch..

Is it the "Khardung La" Pass??

raokiranj

May 16th, 2006, 04:22 PM

Is it the "Khardung La" Pass??

hmm.. might be or could be zojila or something like that..really not sure.. i'v only been upto Rohtang pass [in HP] on this road and its less than 4000 mts above MSL..

i think the highest point is on the Kashmir side of the highway and not in Lahaul&Spiti dist of HP..

raokiranj

May 18th, 2006, 02:09 PM

Hey guyz,

I have frequently come across discussions of drivers driving on the "wrong side" of the road.. here's my views on that..

There are 2 separate issues here:-

Driving in the oncoming lanes:
This is extremely dangerous as pointed out in the NH2 travelogue recently. I had observed this on the Agra-Delhi NH2 when i had travelled there in Dec 1999. Of course that was just the beginning of the dual-carriageway era of Indian Highways, but its dangerous nevertheless..

Anyway, this problem was practically non-existent on the Chandigarh-Delhi (specifically Ambala-Delhi portion oh NH1).. this is from July 2005. This shows that truckers(they form a majority of the culprits i asume) have learnt the rules slowly.

Another point I would like to make is I have very rarely, if ever, observed this dangerous behavious here in South India.. it does seem surprising, cuz dual-carriageways r very recent addition in South India.

Driving in the right side lane but correct direction

This is something thats less dangerous (arguably ;)) than the previous one.. anyway this is something I observed on Delhi-Agra in '99 and to say its rampant in South India is an understatement.. Truckers frequently groan up even the slightest incline and god knows why they prefer the right lane for doing so..

This is a put-off cuz u hv to overtake from the left.. anyway I have never driven by car on this stretch..only buses so thankfully i hvnt had to face the music so far..

anyway I was plesantly surprised to see that this problem dint exist on the NH1 in my july '05 trip. we were cruising at speeds of 110-120 kmph in the taxi (Tata Indica).. and every1 seemed to be driving sensibly and following the rules.. i.e, driving on the left or middle lane (remember most stretches closer to Delhi are 6 lanes) .. and using right only for overtaking. Even if some1 was driving on the right lane, flashing ur headlights was enuf to make him switch lanes and allow u to pass thru..

Hope ppl all over India start following rules.. that'l make the NHDP doubly successful ---> improve the Economy and the safety

Hoping for a better future for our country,

Jai Hind..

kronik

May 22nd, 2006, 12:02 AM

Five states pulled up for delay in road projects (http://www.business-standard.com/economy/storypage.php?tab=r&autono=91996&subLeft=1&leftnm=3)

The road transport and highways ministry has said Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Orissa have done little to acquire land for highway development projects in which thousands of crores have been invested by the Centre.

The main cause for delay in completion of highway projects and cost escalation is the time-consuming land acquisition process, says the ministry. It added that these five states are the most negligent in acquiring land for highway projects.

At a recent meeting of the chief secretaries on infrastructure, Secretary (road transport and highways) LK Joshi said there were some cases in which land was yet to be acquired for projects cleared under the Golden Quadrilateral about five years ago.

The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) was severely criticised by the Planning Commission recently. According to the commission, cost escalation on the seven phases of the National Highway Development Programme has touched Rs 50,500 crore.

This assessment was made after taking into account all seven phases of the programme, including the notional cost on phases four, five, six and seven which were yet to be approved.

The commission has said, compared to January last year, the costs on the seven phases have escalated 30 per cent.

The NHAI has consistently maintained that the main cause for the spiralling costs was delay in land acquisition.

The problem has plagued the authority for many years and to improve coordination between the states and the highway body, the states had been asked to nominate nodal officers, who were to inform the department about developments in land acquisition.

However, some of the states are yet to appoint nodal officers, the NHAI has complained.

Suncity

May 28th, 2006, 01:15 AM

Check out my thread in the Showcase gallery for an update on Second Vivekananda Setu and NH2.

pding

May 28th, 2006, 01:38 AM

Five states pulled up for delay in road projects (http://www.business-standard.com/economy/storypage.php?tab=r&autono=91996&subLeft=1&leftnm=3)

have the states been informed about this? they should give a notice that action will be taken if states don't speed up their process. road transport and highways ministry should simply say, existing projects will not be given enough funding if states don't obey the guidelines set by Central organisations like the NHAI.

kronik

May 28th, 2006, 10:35 AM

have the states been informed about this? they should give a notice that action will be taken if states don't speed up their process. road transport and highways ministry should simply say, existing projects will not be given enough funding if states don't obey the guidelines set by Central organisations like the NHAI.

To answer your first question:

At a recent meeting of the chief secretaries on infrastructure

A Chief Secretary is the top bureaucrat in a state, and has direct access to the CM.

I agree with the funding cut step if the states don't pull their socks up. Most of the federal agencies don't have any powers whatsoever, and I think thats why state governments are so brazen about their incompetences.

Tintin27

May 28th, 2006, 11:06 AM

Naga_Solidus

May 28th, 2006, 01:19 PM

http://in.news.yahoo.com/060508/48/643ra.html

Second Vivekananda Bridge: A new Connector in the Making

Got tired of the tedious and sluggish snarls of the Vivekananda setu (Bali Bridge)? Just toil for one year more, the Second Vivekananda Bridge Toll Way Co Pvt Ltd (SVBTC) is coming up with the substitute, second Vivekananda Bridge (SVB), very soon. The new bridge, located 50 meters downstream of the existing Bali Bridge, is scheduled to be completed by early 2007 and the construction of the 650 crore bridge project commenced on April 2004. It is India�s first multi-span, single-plane cable supported extra-dosed bridge with short pylons and seven continuous spans of 110 meters to match the spans of the existing bridge.

The width of the new bridge is 29m, including the approaching roads towards Howrah and Kolkata. The total length of the toll way is 6.1 km. It has been contemplated as a modern 880m long integrated six-lane bridge and going to have 13 connecting flyovers on either side as well as would carry a traffic equivalent of 40,000 automobiles while the facility would reach its saturation level within 22 years of commissioning. Moreover, the entire toll way has been planned with the latest technology. It is being made with a cable stay profile that would match with the profile of the existing bridge. The bridge is being constructed with short pylons that are perfectly in tune with the nearby Dakshineshwar Temple and do not dwarf the pilgrimage spot with its towering structure.

�Till now, there was no direct connectivity from NH-2/NH-6 system in the western bank of river Hooghly with NH-34/NH-35 system in the eastern bank leading further to the north eastern states as well as to Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. Besides, comprising the incomplete Belghoria Expressway within the new link, this project is also going to provide the critical missing eastern link of the Golden Quadrilateral component of the National Highways Development Project (NHDP),� said S S Chakraborty, chairman, SVBTC Pvt Ltd. The western bank corridors will be linked through the western approach of the SVB and about 3 km of NH-2 to its meeting point with NH-6 and the eastern bank corridors will be serviced through the proposed 8 km long four-lane Belghoria Expressway. NH-2, which is now directly linked with Barrackpore Trunk Road (BT Road), would be connected to the bridge with approaches. �In a nut-shell, the project will supplement the existing Bally Bridge and provide a fast and efficient traffic movement between the most important and significant corridors on both sides of the river Hooghly in the Northern Calcutta Metropolitan Area, serving NH-2-NH-6-Durgapur Expressway on the west (Howrah side) and NH-34-NH-35-Belghoria Expressway-Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport on the eastern side (Kolkata side),� explained Chakraborty. The project starts from the Dankuni interchange system, popularly known as NH-2 and NH-6 junction at the western bank of the river with six lane toll way. The entire toll way would be widened gradually to 20-lane at the semi-automated toll plaza with 16 toll booths.

The idea of constructing the fourth bridge across river Hooghly has been mooted to decongest the 70-year-old Bali Bridge, still serving as the pivotal link between the Grand Trunk Road (Howrah side) and Barrackpore Trunk Road (Calcutta side) as well as a significant rail link between Sealdah Station and Delhi. But according to survey reports, being too old and having an inadequate width for carriageways, the existing bridge is gradually proving incapable of sustaining increased and heavy traffic to and fro from Kolkata. In 1993, The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MRTH), Govt of India, decided to take up a tech-economic feasibility study for a new link adjacent to the existing bridge. Accordingly, the ministry entrusted the task to Consulting Engineering Services (India) Pvt Ltd through PWD, NH-wing Govt of West Bengal. Though, hurdles in land acquisition is delaying construction of the Second Vivekananda Bridge, the PWD on the NH section has finally succeeded in evicting some 400 residential and commercial units on the Howrah side.

There are other reasons as well that hindered the commencement of the project. A problem arose regarding the strategic 24-acres of land on the Kolkata side. The Baranagar jute mill, which owns this land moved court. But, finally, all the land litigations and other obstacles were done away with and the project took off on April 1, 2004 with the target of completing in 36 months. The Central government agreed to pay Rs 100 crore for acquiring the land as well as pay compensation to the evictees.

A series of negotiations and refinement of the project alignment and features fructified, when the pre-construction activities started in 1998. The most complicated works like land-acquisition, rehabilitation, environmental clearance and railway clearance took five years to be sorted out. During this period, the project was transferred by the MRTH to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The concession agreement between the NHAI and SVBTC Pvt Ltd was signed on September 2, 2002 along with a tripartite state-support agreement involving Govt of West Bengal for several supports.

The complex configuration of the project has been designed by CES and PB with the assistance of International Bridge Technologies, USA, and the entire project is supervised, handled and constructed by the SVBTC consortium. �The new bridge, perhaps, will be the most important link to eastern India. So, being an extremely challenging and hi-tech project, it involves a lot of supervision and execution on the technical part. It is being built on the fast-track construction technique. The progress is quite satisfactory and it is scheduled to be commissioned by March 2007,� said D P Acharyya, Accounts & Administrative Manager, Larsen &Toubro Ltd, a partner in the project.

Can they really finish the 2nd Vivekanada bridge by then? I hope so...

http://www.projectsmonitor.com/detailnews.asp?newsid=11063

Kalyani-Dum Dum Expressway

The Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority is confident of completing the Kalyani-Dum Dum Expressway, stretching 41 km, by December 2007. The project cost is Rs 180 crore. KMDA has already constructed 35 km of the expressway from Kalyani to Sodepur in a two-lane facility and has invited bids for the remaining 6 km.
Projectmonitor had carried tender (for construction, operation and management of 6-km stretch on BOT basis) in its issue dated November 21, 2005.
Says Dev Das Bhattacharya, Chief Engineer, KMDA: "The projected traffic volumes calls for immediate implementation of this project involving completion of the remaining stretch of 6 km into a four-lane divided facility, widening of the existing 35-km stretch into a four-lane facility with central divider, construction of toll plaza, and operation and maintenance of the facilities."
The Kalyani-Dum Dum Expressway is to act as not only an alternative to north-south corridor bypassing congested BT road but also a vital link between NH-34/NH-35 and NH-2/NH-6 through Belghoria Expressway and Second Vivekanand Setu (a bridge across Hoogly river), which are in advanced stage of completion.

I hope it doesn't get stalled in some way or another.

I hope someone has info on the Belghoria Expressway's completion date.

raokiranj

May 28th, 2006, 01:58 PM

Check out my thread in the Showcase gallery for an update on Second Vivekananda Setu and NH2.

Hi forgive me for asking such a stupid question.. but i'm new to this forum and was unable to locate the "showcase galley".. how do i find it?

Suncity

May 28th, 2006, 02:50 PM

Hi forgive me for asking such a stupid question.. but i'm new to this forum and was unable to locate the "showcase galley".. how do i find it?

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/forumdisplay.php?f=544

raokiranj

May 29th, 2006, 06:07 AM

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/forumdisplay.php?f=544

Thanks a a lot :)

cbeboy

June 1st, 2006, 10:38 PM

NH network widened with 8 new road stretches

Chennai , June 1

Eight new stretches of roads, including two in Tamil Nadu, with a total length of 1,551 km have been added to the national highways network, with the Union Government bringing in a notification to that effect on Thursday.

The eight stretches of national highways, which were earlier under the charge of the respective state governments, are culturally important, and rich in trade and commerce, according to the Union Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, Mr T.R. Baalu.

New highways

The new national highways are Eastern Peripherals Expressway around Delhi (134 km), Srinagar-Leh Road (422 km), Thanjavur-Manamadurai (144 km), Tiruchi-Chidambaram (135 km), Ahmedabad-Dandi (374 km), Lucknow-Rae Bareily-Allahabad (185 km), Burdwan-Bolpur (52 km) and Delhi-Akbarpur-Jadunathpur-Bihar/UP border (105 km), he said.

The Ahmedabad-Dandi stretch is famous for the Dandi Yatra undertaken by Mahatma Gandhi and the Burdwan-Bolpur is famous for the presence of Santiniketan.

Similarly, the Tiruchi-Chidambaram national highway has a number of heritage temples, Mr Baalu told newspersons.

On the 5,846 km Golden Quadrilateral project, which connects the four metro cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata passing through 13 states, Mr Baalu said the Delhi-Mumbai corridor was completed.

Over 91 per cent (5,319 km) was completed as of April 2006, and 96 per cent is slated for completion by December. The remaining four per cent suffers from litigation and problems arising out of contracts.

The country's road network of 33.4-lakh km is second largest in the world and consists of expressways (200 km), national highways (66,590 km), state highways (1.28 lakh km), major district roads (4.7 lakh km) and rural and other roads (26.50 lakh).

National highways constitute about two per cent of the road network but carry about 40 per cent of the total road traffic.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/06/02/stories/2006060201220700.htm

ferrari_fan

June 2nd, 2006, 10:01 PM

hmm.. might be or could be zojila or something like that..really not sure.. i'v only been upto Rohtang pass [in HP] on this road and its less than 4000 mts above MSL..

i think the highest point is on the Kashmir side of the highway and not in Lahaul&Spiti dist of HP..

i think it's some place called Tanglang La - our hotel's owner told us when i was there last month..

raokiranj

June 3rd, 2006, 08:11 AM

i think it's some place called Tanglang La - our hotel's owner told us when i was there last month..

Oh sorry for not following up on this.. I have since found out that Khardung La is indeed the highest motorable road in the world.. you can google for it.. there's quite a lot of info ncluding pics..

of course there is inconsistency in the spelling.. some spell it as Khardong la too..

Bombay Boy

June 5th, 2006, 09:20 PM

well done again mr. gowda! taking lessons from the congress now

Defying SC orders, Karnataka works on Bill to grab country’s first private road project

Bangalore-Mysore Expressway: If okayed, Streamlining of Karnataka Infrastructure Development and Land Reforms Bill 2006, inspired by Deve Gowda, will allow cancellation of 1997 Framework Agreement for BMICP

http://www.indianexpress.com/story/5813.html

June 5th, 2006, 10:58 PM

IndiansUnite

June 9th, 2006, 05:56 AM

HT Delhi-->9th june
http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/2751/090620060080052fl.jpg

IndiansUnite

June 9th, 2006, 06:02 AM

HT Delhi June9th 06
http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/4235/090620060050044vm.jpg

Anniyan

June 11th, 2006, 09:15 PM

Farmers dig up expressway

http://i6.tinypic.com/1426bzo.jpg

A PERIPHERAL ROAD, part of the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor project, dug up by farmers.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/06/12/stories/2006061203290100.htm

Effer

June 11th, 2006, 09:49 PM

^^ Those stupid morons! God help us... :ohno:

sammyk

June 12th, 2006, 04:48 AM

By farmers? Were they planning on planting something there? :D

kronik

June 12th, 2006, 06:10 AM

I fully expect Mr. Deve-weiner's hand in this.

Expect him and his son to raise this incident in their case against development.

Naga_Solidus

June 12th, 2006, 06:24 AM

Man, those farmers need to be taught a lesson. You can plant what you want, but please, PLEASE don't encroach on public property in such a way.

1yr jail terms, perhaps? Or is that too harsh? Maybe they should just pay fines of Rs. 2500 per farmer.

raokiranj

June 12th, 2006, 01:09 PM

Hey guyz,

almost every newspaper in Bangalore had a 1-page ad today saying "Mumbai-Delhi GQ is completed.. Why NOT Mumbai-Chennai" and it went on to say something about it being contractors' fault.

anyway, the deadline for the entire stretch (except 14 km of Chitradurga bypass) has now been pushed to Dec 2006 (earlier it was Jun 2006). and if you r wondering about Chitradurga by-pass then the bad news is that the contract has been terminated.

God knows when the stretch will be completed and i can realize my dream of leaving Bangalore by car at 6 a.m and reaching my native place (Sirsi) in time for lunch ?? :((

Nelaturi

June 12th, 2006, 02:41 PM

I fully expect Mr. Deve-weiner's hand in this.

Expect him and his son to raise this incident in their case against development.

From recent news its clear that all parties are in cahoots against NICE/BMIC. Even the pro-development party - BJP - are scared of offending their coalition partners. Earlier, as opposition they were crowing against this project anyway. These farmers are being incited by vested interests.

It looks like it will be one more short-sighted legislation that will be hastily passed by the assembly to counter the Supreme Court's directives. Is there any way to prevent it? Its a pity that legislation is in the hands of crooks and badmash's...

Deve Gowda was challenging anyone (I'll cut my throat etc..) to produce evidence about any family member holding property along the BMIC corridor. Now, TOI has printed a copy of the registration document pulled from govt records, of property owned by his son, CM HDK, of 48 acres along this expressway.... well, well...... hope Mr. Gowda keeps up his word and saves the nation from goons like him.

Suncity

June 12th, 2006, 03:43 PM

Deve Gowda was challenging anyone to produce evidence about any family member holding property along the BMIC corridor. Now, TOI has printed a copy of the registration document pulled from govt records, of property owned by his son, CM HDK, of 48 acres along this expressway.... well, well.....

:)

sudheeshnairs

June 12th, 2006, 04:43 PM

Deve Gowda was challenging anyone (I'll cut my throat etc..) to produce evidence about any family member holding property along the BMIC corridor. Now, TOI has printed a copy of the registration document pulled from govt records, of property owned by his son, CM HDK, of 48 acres along this expressway.... well, well...... hope Mr. Gowda keeps up his word and saves the nation from goons like him.

Can we expect that from him? :lol:

Anyway NICE has to go ahead.

kronik

June 14th, 2006, 01:00 AM

HP gets aid for highway project (http://www.business-standard.com/economy/storypage.php?tab=r&autono=94870&subLeft=1&leftnm=3)

Work could further speed up on the unique blooming highways project on the Bilaspur-Manali national highway (NH21) in Himachal Pradesh as the state government has received the first instalment of Rs 50,00,000 for the project from the Central Ministry of Tourism.

The aim of the project is to plant blooming trees on the highway, leading to the popular resort town of Manali, to make the journey memorable.

“Rs 75,00,000 has already been raised for the bloom highways project from other government and private agencies. This amount was utilised last year to plant blooming trees on a 16-km stretch from Bilaspur.

The bloom-highway project is being described as unique by many. The stakeholders of the project include state government agencies, non-government organisations, private bodies and panchayats and they will be offered financial benefits.

Voluntary help is being sought of some 300 panchayats along NH 21 for planting saplings on the 240-km long stretch between the Gara Morh Himachal-Punjab border post and the resort town of Manali.

Saplings will also be planted on the premises of the three stadiums in Mandi, Kullu and Bilaspur districts under this project.

Blooming trees will also be planted along the 18-km Swarghat-Naina Devi road leading to the popular pilgrimage centres of Naina Devi and the Baba Balak Nath in Bilaspur and Hamirpur districts.

kronik

June 14th, 2006, 05:13 AM

An empowered NHAI ready for the road (http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=130462)

The Centre is now all set to finalise the modalities for restructuring the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) within a week after dragging its feet on the long-standing proposal.

According to well-placed sources in the government, Cabinet secretary BK Chaturvedi will hold a final meeting on June 16 to sort out all the issues encumbering Prime Minister’s long-proposed plan for the NHAI’s revamp.

The initiative was aimed at empowering NHAI to take independent decisions and executing highway projects without forwarding such decisions to the Public Investment Board (PIB).

The need for restructuring NHAI had arisen from the fact that the ongoing National Highway Development Programme (NHDP) is to go on till 2012 and this would lead to an increase in volume of work.

To work effectively in such a scenario, an empowered and an independent NHAI was envisaged. According to officials, a revamped NHAI would be able to complete more amount of work and take various decisions without depending on PIB.

In the meeting, the Cabinet secretary will also mull over Pricewaterhouse Coopers’ suggestion to give more teeth to NHAI’s project appraisal wing. This would expedite the appraisal of projects and final take-off of the NHDP projects. According to sources, Mr Chaturvedi will also select a project appraisal expert from among the contenders for the post selected by the transport ministry and NHAI.

The meeting will have all the stakeholders associated with the highway projects on board - NHAI CMD Santosh Nautiyal, former NHAI chairman Deepak Dasgupta, TERI professor S Sundar, representatives of the finance ministry and representatives from the World Bank and Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC).

Ajaypp

June 15th, 2006, 12:16 PM

BMICP project: Promoters going ahead with soft launch

Our Bureau

Bangalore , June 14

Even as the Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor project issue threatens to snowball into a political crisis in Karnataka, the promoters are going ahead with the opening of a small stretch of the peripheral road here on Friday.

Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises Ltd, the special purpose vehicle implementing the Rs 2,250-crore toll road-cum-townships project, has sent out invitations to the soft launch of a 9-km link from the city between Mysore Road and Kanakapura Road.

Phase I project

The stretch at the `clover leaf interchange' is part of Phase I that includes the 41-km semi-circular peripheral road around Bangalore and a 12-km road to Bidadi. The peripheral road itself is planned to link three major points on outer Bangalore: from Hosur to Hyderabad road on NH7 to NH4 towards Pune.

Late on Tuesday, the Cabinet did not take up the proposed infrastructure bill aimed at curtailing or taking over the BMICP; the coalition partners — the Janata Dal (S) and the BJP — were seriously divided on the proposal of the Chief Minister, Mr H.D. Kumaraswamy, to completely take over the project on the ground that it had surplus land and was a mere real-estate proposition.

Penalty cheque bounces

NICE's contention is that this matter has been settled in April this year, with the Supreme Court dismissing these charges and ordering Rs 5 lakh as damages from the Government to the company.

On Wednesday, it said the cheque for the penalty had bounced. Canara Bank, where the company had deposited the cheque, had returned it for insufficient funds. The Government had on May 26 issued the cheque from the State Bank of Mysore treasury branch.

According to SBM, the bank had not received the customary LoC (letter of credit) to release the amount.

The Rs 1,150-crore Phase 1 that is currently in progress at the Bangalore end is being implemented by NICE subsidiary, Nandi Economic Corridor Enterprises. Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Enterprises has a 15 per cent stake in the company and is the broadband partner for Phase I.

Source: The Business Line

Lol, a Govt. of Karnataka cheque bouncing...??!! This is getting hilarious! :D

kronik

June 15th, 2006, 05:38 PM

Rs 1,058 cr Haryana plan for infrastructure (http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=130604)

The Haryana Government has decided to spend about Rs.1,058 crore on development of roads, bridges and buildings during the current financial year against an allocation of Rs.695 crore last year.

The state government also decided to reactivate its Roads and Bridges Corporation by appointing a full-time managing director.

The targets for the current financial year include the work of 6,083 kms roads compared with 4,095 kms covered last year. This includes strenghtening and widening apart from construction of new roads, side drains and concrete pavements. State highways and national highways will also be improved.

It was learnt that 24 bridges were under construction or at the tendering stage with 18 rail overbridges in the pipeline.

cptracker

June 15th, 2006, 10:19 PM

http://in.news.yahoo.com/060615/43/6537i.html

Thursday June 15, 01:44 PM
L&T bags Rs.7.5 bn highway contract in Gujarat
By Indo Asian News Service

Mumbai, June 15 (IANS) Larsen & Toubro Ltd (L&T), India's largest construction and heavy engineering company, Thursday bagged a Rs.7.5 billion contract for the six-laning of the National Highway No 8 (NH-8) between Vadodara and Bharuch in Gujarat.

The National Highways Authority of India awarded the contract to L&T on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis through an international competitive bidding.

The 83.3-km stretch of NH-8 between Vadodara and Bharuch is part of the ambitious Golden Quadrilateral project and is an important link in the high-density corridor connecting Mumbai and Delhi.

This stretch is adjacent to the second bridge on the Narmada river that is already under operation on the BOT basis by the company.

The project involves widening of the existing four-lane highway to six lanes, with amenities and supporting infrastructure. The 15-year concession period includes a construction period of 30 months.

'The company will design, engineer, finance, construct, operate and maintain the highway section for the period of concession, employing state-of-the-art equipment during construction and operation,' a company statement said here Thursday.

'The project will be domiciled in a special purpose company called L&T Vadodara-Bharuch Tollways Ltd, formed exclusively for the project.'

The highway passes through the districts of Anand, Vadodara and Bharuch and cuts through various urban centres with a number of road and rail crossings.

The proposal envisages construction of 10 major and 36 minor bridges, 11 flyovers, two road over bridges (ROBs), pedestrian and cattle crossings at specified locations and other junction improvements.

The company would put in place systems for toll collection and highway traffic management.

'This project is located on the corridor with the highest traffic density in the country and is one of the most prestigious six-laning projects being offered on the BOT basis on the Golden Quadrilateral,' said K.V. Rangaswami, senior executive vice president (operations) and a member of the L&T board.

Aryabhata

June 16th, 2006, 07:23 AM

http://www.financialexpress.com/latest_full_story.php?content_id=130771

NEARLY 70 per cent of those who obtain a driving licence in the city cannot drive, a study by economists from Harvard and Chicago universities has found.

IndiansUnite

June 16th, 2006, 07:41 PM

Via HT mumbai June 16 06

Now that NH4 (now four laned) is functioning with the expressway,the traffic scene along this busy Mumbai-Pune corridor will get better.
I feel toll tax is a must and should be on NH4 as well.

http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/7716/nh46bg.jpg

IndiansUnite

June 16th, 2006, 07:55 PM

Via Ht Delhi June 14

This is going to be awesome when the expressway is made. :cheers:

http://img342.imageshack.us/img342/566/140620060070020ql.jpg

pding

June 16th, 2006, 09:37 PM

the Delhi expressway project is pretty cool. but will it help the ppl who travel on these routes? sorry for my ignorance if i'm wrong.

magestom

June 16th, 2006, 09:46 PM

Via Ht Delhi June 14

This is going to be awesome when the expressway is made. :cheers:

http://img342.imageshack.us/img342/566/140620060070020ql.jpg

Is this an access controlled expressway with ramps like Mumbai Pune--NO 4 WAY INTERSECTIONS? Also, is NH8 include the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway? And will NH8 up to this new Expressway being built all be Expressway? And how many lanes on this Expressway? Bigger than expressway coming up in Hyderabad???

Sridhar

June 16th, 2006, 09:56 PM

It will be a fully access-controlled expressway. No at-grade intersections anywhere. To begin with, my guess is that it would be a four-lane highway, with potential for upgradation (land is being acquired and set asde for an eventual eight-lane expressway). Four lanes would probably be sufficient for the moment, given the traffic estimates.

IndiansUnite

June 16th, 2006, 11:13 PM

the Delhi expressway project is pretty cool. but will it help the ppl who travel on these routes? sorry for my ignorance if i'm wrong.

Yes,it would help the local Haryana people travelling on this route but its main purpose is to lower the number of trucks entering Delhi to go North.Right now,trucks and cars headed for North India,enter New Delhi and congest both the Ring Road and the outer ring road to a degree but the situation isnt that bad as there are a hell lot of flyovers on both the roads.Secondly many townships are coming up with tech parks,so the expressway will help people to commute to NCR much more faster.

Is this an access controlled expressway with ramps like Mumbai Pune--NO 4 WAY INTERSECTIONS?

I believe it will have 4 way intersections,probably will be have cloverleafs.

Also, is NH8 include the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway? And will NH8 up to this new Expressway being built all be Expressway?

The NH-8 in NCR has now been upgraded to be the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway.It starts near Dhaula Kuan/IGI airport and ends at the very end of Gurgaon.If you look at the map,the expressway starts when Delhi ends till Gurgaon.The expressway ends at Gurgaon and then begins the normal upgraded NH-8 which as you is part of the GQ.

So I feel that NH-8 till the KMP expressway will be half expressway(till gurgaon) and half normal highway unless they plan to extend the expressway all the way till the intersection.

It says it will be the country's longest expressway highway,but its probably wrong as the Hyderabad one is 161Kms compared to 132 Km of KMP.

Thanks Sridhar for the inputs

IndiansUnite

June 16th, 2006, 11:38 PM

Via Hindu June 16
http://www.hindu.com/2006/06/17/stories/2006061712130100.htm

9.2-km stretch of BMIC peripheral road opened

Staff Reporter

Two aged women, 58 children do the honours

A NICE START: A view of the 9.5-km stretch of the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Project's peripheral road at Somapura junction on the outskirts of Bangalore, which was inaugurated on Friday. — Photo: K. Murali Kumar

Bangalore: The 9.2-km stretch of the peripheral road of the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) Project was inaugurated at Hemmigepura, Bangalore Rural district, on Friday. There were no representatives from the State Government at the function.

Fifty-eight children dressed in costumes representing different States and two elderly women, who gave up their land for the project, did the honours at the function.

The organisers of the event had arranged for vehicles to bring villagers from places as far as Devanahalli. Several artistes participated in the function to make it colourful and performed folk art forms, including stilt walking, "dollu kunita", "keelu kudure aata" and "karaga aata".

Sharadamma (93) and Ramakka (86), who were the chief guests at the function, told presspersons that they had given away a part of their land willingly for the project.

"I gave away my land because the project is sure to benefit the common man," said Ms. Ramakka.

The Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE), which is executing the project, said: "The project is the only infrastructure project with a gestation period of 10 years. It has gone through seven Prime Ministers, four Chief Ministers (Karnataka), 15 Ministers for Public Works, eight Chief Secretaries, eight secretaries of the Department of Public Work, six secretaries of the Department of Urban Development, 10 secretaries of Department of Infrastructure and over 350 IAS officers. It has been discussed in over 100 Cabinet meetings and has been signed by 10,500 government officials, making it the most scrutinised project in the State."

Shivakumar happy

The former Minister D.K. Shivakumar said he was glad that the first phase of the project had been inaugurated.

About the absence of representatives from the Government, he said that after the completion of the project, the Government might be involved in a big function.

He said the BMIC project had helped in improving the economic life of the people in the surrounding villages. "Such projects should be encouraged. That way, the private sector will be encouraged to invest in the State," he said.

The former Minister said the Janata Dal (Secular) should have announced its decision to take over the project before the Supreme Court gave its verdict. "Private-public partnerships are welcome as long as the Government has an upper hand. The ideal partnership would be in the ratio of 51:49," he said.

Not a good omen

Rajajinagar MLA N.L. Narendra Babu said: "The stretch has been inaugurated without the presence of the head of the State. It is not a good omen."

T. Mohandas Pai of Infosys said the project should not be taken over by the Government. "The State should not intervene. The project should be completed by NICE. Just as the National Highway Authority of India executes projects through the private sector, the State should allow the private sector to handle such projects," he added.

IndiansUnite

June 16th, 2006, 11:55 PM

Via Expressindia.com
http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=188275

Smooth journey? No four ways about it

Two truck bays, 16 bus bays, 24-hour patrolling, medical help would ensure non-stop traffic flow with safety on the under construction four-lane National Highway

ANAND S T DAS

CHANDIGARH, JUNE 15: THE term ‘killer stretch,’ long associated with the Ambala-Chandigarh section of National Highway 21 and 22 due to the high rate of accidents and traffic bottlenecks on it, would a redundant term once the ongoing four-laning work is completed.

The 45-km stretch of the highway, on which nearly 22,000 vehicles — including 11,000 cars and jeeps and 6,650 trucks — ply daily, would have a host of modern wayside amenities for transporters and the road-using public to ensure smooth and safe passage to the ever-increasing vehicles on this stretch.

On the 36-km stretch, whose widening is presently being conducted by the GMR Ambala-Chandigarh Expressway Pvt Ltd (GMRACE), there would be 16 bus bays and two large truck bays to accommodate public transport and goods vehicles that need to stop on the way for brief periods. These are part of the Rs 298-crore four-laning project awarded to GMRACE by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).

Teams of policemen from Punjab and Haryana would do round-the-clock patrolling to detect traffic bottlenecks and accidents on the NH and provide timely help. The patrol vehicles would have policemen, paramedical staff, medicines and medical equipment to ensure that accident victims get medical treatment fast enough.

‘‘The bus bays and truck bays would be constructed by the side of the NH and they would help keep the main highway free for uninterrupted traffic flow. All the 16 bus bays would be in Punjab territory, from Bhankarpur to Jharmari. One of the two truck bays would be at Sadhopur village on the Punjab-Haryana border, while the other one would be at Bisangarh village near Zirakpur,’’ GMRACE’s Chief Project Manager Col Sanjiv Puri (retd) told Newsline.

While the bus bays would be of standard size and capable of accommodating one bus at a time, the truck bays would be about 350-metre long and 7-metre wide and each would be able to accommodate about 30 trucks at a time. The bus bays would have modern sheds for passengers to wait for buses, said GMRACE officials.

The highway wing of Punjab Police has already started highway patrolling on this NH corridor — from Zirakpur to Dera Bassi to Lalru — and plans to add one more by mid-July. A recovery crane to pick up vehicles damaged in accidents has already been stationed at Derabassi.

Punjab’s SP (Highways) S.S. Mand said: ‘‘We will provide patrol with policemen, paramedical personnel and medical facilities on the entire 25-km stretch in Punjab territory. The patrol vehicles would be ambulance-cum-interceptors, complete with speed-radars, alcometers and video cameras to record accident scenes’’. Haryana’s SP (Highways) Rajpal Singh said he plans to start similar patrolling by mid-July.

magestom

June 17th, 2006, 12:12 AM

I get really confused. Usually when you talk about Freeway and Expressway it means access controlled. That is what makes it different from a normal highway which does not have to be access controlled. By access controlled, I am mean that you can only enter the expressway through ramps, interchanges. No four way intersection with red light. Only cloverleaf and ramps. Flyover with ramps connected...
Is the Ambala-Chandigarh Expressway a true expressway? I know that the Bombay-Pune Expressway is really an Expressway and the future Hyderabad road will be. And I think the Gurgaon Expressway is a real access controlled expressway. What about the Bangalore-Mysore Expressway? KMP Expressway? Ambala-Chandigarh Expressway? I know the Amnebad-Baroda Expressway is access controlled for continuous flow of traffic just like Mumbai-Pune...

IndiansUnite

June 17th, 2006, 12:19 AM

I feel that if the mentioned roads are named as 'expressways',then they will definitly have to be signal free and I guess the Ambala-Chandigarh(NH-21,22) stretch does not have any plans to be an expressway but it will just be widened.The company widening the road surprinsingly calls itself -- GMR Ambala-Chandigarh Expressway Pvt Ltd (GMRACE),which is kind of misleading.

Other than that the Bangalore-Mysore Expressway and the KMP expressways will be fully access controlled. :)

Suncity

June 17th, 2006, 05:27 AM

Suncity

June 17th, 2006, 05:27 AM

Tracing the Belghoria Expressway (under construction)

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=8902012&postcount=93

Sridhar

June 17th, 2006, 05:37 AM

The term "expressway" is used very loosely in India especially by regional/local authorities.

As of now access controlled expressways include Bombay Pune Expressway, Ahmedabad Baroda Expressway and Durgapur Expressway. There may be more, but someone needs to confirm it.

Other 'true' expressways (built or under construction or approved)
Dhaula Kuan-Gurgaon expressway (u/c)
DND Flyway + NGN Expressway (Gautam Budh Expressway)
IT Expressway u/c in Chennai
Chennai Bypass u/c in Chennai
Chennai Port to Ennore expressway u/c in Chennai
Chennai Port to Maduravoyal (Bypass) elevated expressway
Bandra Worli sea link (u/c) + Worli Nariman Point sea link (planned)

Once the Kona Expressway in Kolkata gets completed, it will be a true expressway also, won't it? I am not 100% certain about it.

Suncity

June 17th, 2006, 05:47 AM

Once the Kona Expressway in Kolkata gets completed, it will be a true expressway also, won't it? I am not 100% certain about it.

It may be three - four years before that happens. Right now they have to build a couple of bridges to make the entire stretch four laned. The next step would be to build flyovers at the crossings with some form of access control. I am a little puzzled about the status of Kona Expressway. Is it a national highway or still a state highway? In the end it is all about availabilty of funds.

Then there is the Kolkata - Barrackpore - Kalyani Expressway. It is a toll road but two laned. But I have seen several roads going off to villages / suburbs. They have now announced plans to make it four laned. I dont think, considering the volume of traffic now, that it is necessary to build interchanges yet. Again a a question of funds and value for money.

The Belghoria Expressway will probably be access controlled.

magestom

June 17th, 2006, 05:56 AM

What is the Dhaula Kuan-Gurgaon expressway? Is it same as Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway. If not, can someone show me a map of it.

Suncity

June 17th, 2006, 06:18 AM

What is the Dhaula Kuan-Gurgaon expressway? Is it same as Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway. If not, can someone show me a map of it.

It is the same. Dhaula Kuan is the place in Delhi, from where the expressway will start.

Sridhar

June 17th, 2006, 06:20 AM

It is the same.

magestom

June 17th, 2006, 06:25 AM

Will I be able to travel on the Expressway on my trip to Delhi Gurgaon, Noida... I will be in the region in August.

Suncity

June 17th, 2006, 06:34 AM

Magestom, I don't think the expressway will be ready by then.

Meanwhile this is hilarious and sad too..Posting here as it is kind of related to roads.

Power and a new road for Jharkhand Min's bride's village

http://news.moneycontrol.com/india/news/topindiannews/jharkhanddimbudih/powernewroadforjharkhandminsbridesvillage/market/stocks/article/220880

Villagers in Jharkhand will soon be enjoying electricity and a swanky new road courtesy of a state minister, who is improving his bride's village ahead of their wedding, reports Reuters.

Sudesh Mahato, Home Minister of Jharkhand, has ordered the construction of power lines in his fiance's village of Dimbudih, 70 km south of the state capital, Ranchi, said officials and residents.

Thirty two year old Mahato, considered to be one of the most eligible bachelors in the state, is also building a 35-km concrete road linking the home of his bride, a final year law student in Mumbai, with his own.

Excited residents have welcomed the official attention in what has largely been a forgotten rural area."We have come out of the lantern age," joked Lalit Mahato.But opposition parties have called the plans an "extravagance".

"Though the feudal system has been abolished from the country, the ministers in Jharkhand continue to behave as feudal lords," a member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).Some 150,000 people will attend the minister's wedding on June 18.

Naga_Solidus

June 17th, 2006, 08:21 AM

Will I be able to travel on the Expressway on my trip to Delhi Gurgaon, Noida... I will be in the region in August.

You'll eb able to see part of it but not all of it, i.e. 2-3 flyovers may be finished, but you can expect to see plenty of construction work. The expressway won't be done until December, FTR.

vasu_usav

June 17th, 2006, 09:29 AM

Babji

June 17th, 2006, 10:28 PM

Coimbatore is one of the top ten Indian cities..........In whatever fact it may be! Yes! If you take top ten cities ignored by the government, you can find Coimbatore topping the list.....!!!!

Government throng Coimbatore to collect money but not to invest! I suppose it is the most ignored city of all! But people of Coimbatore are courageous! We make the impossible, possible!

Not only people from Coimbatore...........many others feel so!

I would agree with this.
Coimbathore has been thriving as an industrial major in the south, in its own capacity, for a long time.
Vijayawada and Vizag from AP would also qualify for this list of 10!

Babji

June 17th, 2006, 10:31 PM

Other 'true' expressways (built or under construction or approved)
Dhaula Kuan-Gurgaon expressway (u/c)
DND Flyway + NGN Expressway (Gautam Budh Expressway)
IT Expressway u/c in Chennai
Chennai Bypass u/c in Chennai
Chennai Port to Ennore expressway u/c in Chennai
Chennai Port to Maduravoyal (Bypass) elevated expressway
Bandra Worli sea link (u/c) + Worli Nariman Point sea link (planned)

Once the Kona Expressway in Kolkata gets completed, it will be a true expressway also, won't it? I am not 100% certain about it.

Does any of the highways in B'lore/Karnataka qualify for this list?

Sridhar

June 17th, 2006, 10:41 PM

I forgot the elevated highway along Hosur Road, which should be in this list.

Babji

June 17th, 2006, 10:45 PM

Chennai has better planning as far as express highways are concerned.
what is the legth of Chennai Port to Maduravoyal (Bypass) elevated expressway?

Babji

June 17th, 2006, 11:00 PM

Via Hindu June 16
http://www.hindu.com/2006/06/17/stories/2006061712130100.htm

The Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE), which is executing the project, said: "The project is the only infrastructure project with a gestation period of 10 years. It has gone through seven Prime Ministers, four Chief Ministers (Karnataka), 15 Ministers for Public Works, eight Chief Secretaries, eight secretaries of the Department of Public Work, six secretaries of the Department of Urban Development, 10 secretaries of Department of Infrastructure and over 350 IAS officers. It has been discussed in over 100 Cabinet meetings and has been signed by 10,500 government officials, making it the most scrutinised project in the State."

this is a highlight!
lets hope this will remain an unbroken record forever!

pding

June 17th, 2006, 11:19 PM

i hope this record is never broken and no other project comes close to even 50% of the milestones that this project has achieved. it shows the inefficient systems in our democracy.

Aryabhata

June 17th, 2006, 11:19 PM

K’taka govt, expressway safe for now

http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=130953

The Bangalore-Mysore Expressway may not break the three-month-old Janata Dal (Secular)-Bharatiya Janata Party coalition government in Karnataka with the two allies likely to agree on a “compromise formula” that would include deferring for now a draft legislation aimed at taking over the Rs 2,600-crore project from its promoters, Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE).

Suncity

June 21st, 2006, 05:10 AM

Was tracing NH5 Bhubaneswar to Cuttack.

Looks like there are a couple of flyovers u/c in the stretch.

Two flyovers in Bhubaneswar

http://img77.imageshack.us/img77/6017/bhubflyover2ggl29jl.jpg

http://img236.imageshack.us/img236/1907/bhubflyoverggl12wa.jpg

Bridges on outskirts of Bhubaneswar (towards Cuttack)

http://img77.imageshack.us/img77/1784/cuttackbubbridgesggl5sb.jpg

Bridges over the Kathjhori river ( towards Cuttack from Bhubaneswar )

http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/9313/cuttackriverbridge1ggl0sn.jpg

Found this one in Cuttack.

http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/3956/cuttackflyoverggl11gw.jpg

Bridges over the Mahanadi river (from Cuttack towards Balasore/Kolkata) - these are long..

http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/9905/cuttackroadbridge2ggl23xn.jpg

Suncity

June 22nd, 2006, 02:13 AM

Google Earth - Dewas - Indore NH3

1 Starts near Dewas

http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/6573/indoredewas18ri.jpg

2

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/4646/indore2dewas3hwy20xr.jpg

3 - Toll Plaza

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/8066/indore3tolldewas39af.jpg

4

http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/6415/indoredewas4hwy40mv.jpg

5

http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/3816/dewa5indo5hwy56us.jpg

6 - ends at the outskirts of Indore city

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/122/dewasindorehwy65eu.jpg

IndiansUnite

June 22nd, 2006, 02:34 AM

Sun,how about starting a new google earth highway thread?

Suncity

June 22nd, 2006, 02:35 AM

Sun,how about starting a new google earth highway thread?

What do others think?

:)

IndiansUnite

June 22nd, 2006, 02:37 AM

according to me ,Lets just keep this thread solely for News on Highway projects.

Suncity

June 22nd, 2006, 02:44 AM

according to me ,Lets just keep this thread solely for News on Highway projects.

Okay. I was just trying to spice up the thread a bit with some images. All text and no pics makes it kind of boring.

IndiansUnite

June 23rd, 2006, 02:12 AM

This sucks :bash:

http://img236.imageshack.us/img236/1162/230620060090075jf.jpg

Naga_Solidus

June 23rd, 2006, 03:39 AM

what's worse, this or the Nandi Infrastructure corridor's problems?

kronik

June 23rd, 2006, 05:18 AM

The report has got it right. The biggest problem with the Delhi Gurgaon Expressway is the fact that the bloody netas can't make up their mind what they want.

Both the Delhi and Haryana governments have demanded numerous changes right before anything could be implemented. In addition, I think the Haryana govt. is still to hand over some of the land.

While China has built thousands of kilometers of expressways, we havn't even crossed a thousand. The success of the Mumbai Pune Expressway should have sparked a road revolution, yet after all these years, we have been able to add two more.

And heres a thought, instead of building 5 flyovers in a row, would it be better to build one straight flyover, with some exits and entries provided? I think it would be, right?

harsh1802

June 23rd, 2006, 06:07 AM

hey i have some Qs regarding the Golden Quadrilateral project of the Vajpayee Govt. Hadn't heard abt it oflate.....is it still on ? or did they change the name ?

IndiansUnite

June 23rd, 2006, 06:19 AM

hey i have some Qs regarding the Golden Quadrilateral project of the Vajpayee Govt. Hadn't heard abt it oflate.....is it still on ? or did they change the name ?'

Its soooo on man,Mum-del corridor is complete,other corridors will be completed in some time.check http://www.nhai.org/ out for more.Find out more in the map sections.

harsh1802

June 23rd, 2006, 08:18 AM

Thnks for the info man! ^^

;)

pding

June 24th, 2006, 03:51 PM

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200606241651.htm

India fostering road revolution; funding hiked for highways

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said today as he announced a decision to enlarge funding to the National Highway project to Rs 2,22,000 crores.
"We now have a road programme National Highway Development Project costing Rs 2,20,000 crores to be implemented in 7 to 8 years," he said laying the foundation stone for the Bangalore-Electronics City elevated highway project.

_________________________________________________________________

we desperately need to judge the realities of Highway development under UPA rule. there is a lot of hype. but i'm not sure how many new roads have been built.

Paddington

June 24th, 2006, 05:21 PM

It's no big secret that the Congress party is not in any big rush to complete a project that was started by the BJP.

The UPA is more interested in things like banning the Da Vinci code in Indian theatres to appease the 2% of Indians that are Christian. :scouserd:

ramkan

June 24th, 2006, 06:24 PM

Aryabhata

June 24th, 2006, 11:48 PM

Road manners drive PM angry

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1676996.cms

For those who might have forgotten, Singh carefully listed road manners. One should give way to pedestrians, observe rules while overtaking, know how to park and when not to blow a horn.

"These are simple rules, but their observance makes a lot of difference to our daily lives," he said. "We Indians behave with great courtesy at home and with family and friends. But when we go out we leave these manners behind. On the road, we lose control of our good senses. Why should this be so?"

jacques

June 25th, 2006, 12:21 AM

Road manners drive PM angry

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1676996.cms

This has much to do with how your learn to drive and who trains you. Obviously drivers in India do not receive adequate training. The licensing procedure also has to be made more stringent. Police should start giving hefty tickets to make people think twice about driving irresponsibly.

June 25th, 2006, 12:30 AM

This has much to do with how your learn to drive and who trains you. Obviously drivers in India do not receive adequate training. The licensing procedure also has to be made more stringent. Police should start giving hefty tickets to make people think twice about driving irresponsibly.

totally agree. I think initiative has to come from goverment. Start slapping people with big fines and you will see. Sadly when it comes to implementing it, our officials either ignore it, or they just take some money and let the culprit go. Corruption is the problem and not the laws.

ramkan

June 25th, 2006, 01:25 AM

pding

June 25th, 2006, 01:45 AM

Manmohan did a good job so far, in completing unfinished projects from previous government, despite not having majority support in parliament.

VAT Implementation
Greenfield airports construction work(Bangalore & Hyd)
Airport Privitazation(Mumbai & Delhi).
River Linking Project (i heard it kick started quitely)

Yes, i am truly disappointed with the highway program. They really neglected such an important project. I think this has to do with the planning commission(read Ahulwalia) stressing on bigger road widths, revamping of NHAI and ofcourse some politics aswell..

cong deserves credit only on airport privatisation. that's the only bold step they've been able to take. also what river project are u talkin' about?

other than airports, there has been no new project evinced by Congress. they're just implementing what the NDA started out on. no new initiatives.

June 25th, 2006, 01:56 AM

Urban planning is one field where no work is being done. You cannot work a 90 floor building when your city infrastructure is so bad.

klein

June 25th, 2006, 05:11 AM

totally agree. I think initiative has to come from goverment. Start slapping people with big fines and you will see. Sadly when it comes to implementing it, our officials either ignore it, or they just take some money and let the culprit go. Corruption is the problem and not the laws.

I was stopped by Hyderabad police as a routine stop ( and did not have
my license on me ). The traffic policeman tried his best to get "settle"
on the side. Of course I paid the fine legally, but the point here is that
unless fines are hefty and enforced the traffic situation is going to remain
the same. Growing up in Nagpur and Delhi, we were sh** scared of doing
anything silly on the roads as the police were extremely strict and that is
why thsese two cities have such orderly traffic.

Which reminds me of this incident I heard . A bunch of kids travelling
"triple" on a mobike , with no helmets on jumped a red light. They
disobeyed a trffic policeman's orders to stop and were given a chase by him.
So, They coolly stopped and held out a 100 rupee note for the cop. The cop
just took the money and went away , no questions asked.

Firstly, It should be very difficult to get a license. The licese should only
be given after a road test where every law should be stringently observed.
And, the insurance companies should be allowed to raise the premiums if
the driver gets any violation notices. Whenthis fear of breaking the law seeps into the drivers minds , then the traffic will start improving.

klein

June 25th, 2006, 05:14 AM

Agree.. Govt should come hard on enforcing. But also educate public to various media on the need to be more discplined. Include NGO's for spreading awareness.

Best example is the helmet rule in HYD. The govt has been trying for 20 years without ever being serious. Once they started fining people and enforcing seriously the complaince has gone up to 90% plus now..

ramkan : I dont think so. I find that compliance is more like 50 %. Personally,
I dont see why people have such a bloody problem wearing a helmet even
though they have one.

ramkan

June 25th, 2006, 05:26 PM

hmm...while i was there in Jan-Feb this year, the complaince was very high. May be it depends on how keen the police followup on enforcing rules.

Luckystreak

June 28th, 2006, 11:11 AM

Some interestin discussion in Rediff...about driving sense in India

Are Indians ill-mannered on the road?
http://www.rediff.com/news/2006/jun/26msg.htm
http://mboard.rediff.com/board/board.php?boardid=news2006jun26msg&page=1

Bombay Boy

June 28th, 2006, 12:45 PM

if people like this are getting licenses without passing driving tests can you imagine what its like for the rest? i would say roughly 90% of drivers have not given a proper test for obtaining their license

Infy chief’s daughter gets licence from tout

Chetana Belagere and Shiva Kumar N D
chetana.belagere@mid-day.com
shiva.kumar@mid-day.com

ON Friday, June 23, MiD DAY caught Janhavi, daughter of Infosys CEO Nandan Nilekani, negotiating with a tout at the Regional Transport Office (RTO) in Koramangala, Bangalore.

Later that day, 18-year-old Janhavi — who reportedly failed her driving test twice — was on her way to getting a licence. Following the report published yesterday (June 27), Rohini Nilekani, Janhavi’s mother — who earlier refused to let her daughter comment — sent a letter to MiD DAY, saying it was wrong of the teenager to go through an intermediary to obtain the permit. She wrote that the family ‘regrets the mistake’. (See box).

Twice bitten

Khalid, the tout Janhavi met outside the RTO, confirmed the teenager had twice failed her driving test. Boasting his connections in the RTO, Khalid said, “Janhavi finally approached me for her licence.” Khalid got Janhavi’s work done in minutes. He told her celebrity client that her licence would be ready in three days. Flipping through the papers in his hand, Khalid was heard telling Janhavi, “See, madam… look at these papers, fail, fail and fail! Only now have you passed the test. You can collect your licence in three days.”

Double check

MiD DAY obtained a copy of Janhavi’s licence papers to confirm her identity. In fact, in the photograph on the licence, Janhavi was wearing the same kurta she had on while negotiating with the tout. The licence copy also claimed that she cleared her test on Friday, June 23. Khalid charges Rs 750 to procure a licence, as the reporters found out when they posed as customers. But Khalid was reluctant to reveal how much he had charged Janhavi. He said, “I got her the licence, but I can’t tell you for how much.”

Mum’s the word

On calling the landline number mentioned on the licence papers, MiD DAY was told that the Nilekanis were out of the country. On being contacted on Monday, Janhavi’s mother iterated the same. Before disconnecting the line, she, however, snapped, “My daughter will not speak to you about any story.”

Despite several e-mails and SMSes, there was no response from Janhavi or her father Nandan.

http://ww3.mid-day.com/midday/drive/epaperimages/2862006/d4989-large.jpg
PAYING THE PRICE: Infosys CEO Nandan Nilekani’s daughter Janhavi (left) with the tout

Aryabhata

July 1st, 2006, 01:31 AM

http://img426.imageshack.us/img426/4777/airportroad2cp.th.jpg (http://img426.imageshack.us/my.php?image=airportroad2cp.jpg)

http://deccanherald.com/deccanherald/jul12006/city2016302006630.asp

Airport Road flyover to be opened on July 15
DH News Service Bangalore:
After a delay of almost two years, the main flyover along Intermediate Ring Road to Indiranagar 80 ft. road will be opened for the public on July 15. On Friday, the BDA, which is developing the Rs 26.69 crore worth flyover started its load test. “On July 15, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy is likely to inaugurate the flyover,” said BDA sources.

In addition to the two main roads on the main flyover that runs between Airport Road and Koramangala and from Koramangala to Domlur, the project involved construction of two service roads and two grade-level bridges. And the three loops to provide free tuning movements from Airport road to Indiranagar 80 ft. road, IRR to Airport road and Airport road to IRR.

The project, which was sanctioned in March 2003 was to be completed by April 2004. However, the project had many ups and downs resulting extension of the deadline. The grade-level bridges between Domlur and Indiranagar and between Indiranagar and Airport Road were completed last year.

slakhs

July 1st, 2006, 09:12 AM

This is a very good news for BLR, even more than BMIC, Metro etc, at least for the present. This pending flyover was/is the cause of many a traffic jams in the area and hopefully it will be better from July.

Cheers
Slakhs

http://img426.imageshack.us/img426/4777/airportroad2cp.th.jpg (http://img426.imageshack.us/my.php?image=airportroad2cp.jpg)

http://deccanherald.com/deccanherald/jul12006/city2016302006630.asp

vadi

July 1st, 2006, 03:50 PM

any body have the complete design?

i see from the image that the loops are not yet done.

kronik

July 6th, 2006, 04:21 PM

Australian company to design Rohtang tunnel (http://www.business-standard.com/compindustry/storypage.php?tab=r&autono=97028&subLeft=1&leftnm=1)

SMEC International, a top Australian construction company, will prepare a detailed design of the 9-km-long proposed Rohtang pass tunnel and also give consultancy services on the Rs 1,400 crore project.

Once the detailed report is ready, work will begin early next year on boring the 9-km Himalayan tunnel to connect the Kullu valley to the snowbound-Lahaul valley by a weather route via the tunnel instead of the precarious 13,050 ft high Rohtang pass route which remains under snow for more than half the year.

The tunnel will also help reduce the distance, for the Indian army, to reach the landlocked Ladakh region in Jammu and Kashmir.

“The work on the 9 km long tunnel is expected to finish by 2014,” said the chief engineer, BROs, KP Singh. “The environment clearance for the project has already been obtained from the central environment and forest ministry,” he said.

The foundation stone of the project was laid four years ago by the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee but it was delayed since clearance from the Centre was needed.

“We have recently deposited Rs 10 crore with the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEB) to provide us power infrastructure. The same amount has also been allotted to the forest department for carrying out tree plantation and disposal of debris,” said KP Singh.

“The BRO has already built 24 km of approach roads leading to both portals (or sides of the tunnels) which has nine avalanche points,” he said. “Our engineers plan to construct snow galleries which will help keep the high altitude road clear of snow,” said Singh.

“Overlooking the resort town of Manali, the Rohtang tunnel will be located at around 9,500 feet and would reduce the distance on the 480 km long Manali-Leh road by 46 km,” BRO officials said.

Currently this high altitude road remains closed for traffic for over six months due to heavy snowfall over the 13,050 ft high Rohtang pass. The tunnel will connect the tribal Lahual valley for most of the year, once the tunnel is built.

“Lahaul Valley farmers will benefit greatly as they are often unable to shift their cash crops to markets located outside the Lahaul valley to sell their produce as the road is blocked for several months causing huge losses,” he said.

When the project was conceived, some fifteen years ago, the cost of the tunnel was expected to be around Rs 700 crore but delays have doubled the expenses.

PlaneMad

July 8th, 2006, 07:41 AM

I want to get this map as a featured item on wikipedia, so ill need help correcting mistakes and improving accuracy. note that you will need firefox, opera9, ie7 or adobe svg plugin to view the full size file.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/78/India_roadway_map.svg/530px-India_roadway_map.svg.png (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:India_roadway_map.svg)
almost every highway (>20km) from here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_National_Highways_in_India) has been shown. i had to skip 103-107 cause i dont have a clue to its route. Every bluddy road in bihar is a national highway.

Suncity

July 8th, 2006, 04:10 PM

That Wikipedia article claims

The National Highways, the majority 2 laned (one in each direction), constitute a total of about 58,000 km, of which 4,885 km are median-separated expressways.

We don't have 4885 kms of expressways unless the GQ is being considered one.

Naga_Solidus

July 8th, 2006, 07:21 PM

The guy who wrote the article considers the GQ an expressway system...despite the at-grade intersections.

kronik

July 8th, 2006, 07:27 PM

Paddington

July 8th, 2006, 10:04 PM

The guy who wrote the article considers the GQ an expressway system...despite the at-grade intersections.

For India, building a lot of roads is more important right now than building a few American class expressways. Interchanges cost *a lot* of money. Cloverleafs are $100 million+, 4 level stack interchanges are $250 million+. India doesn't have that kind of money.

They need to build the roads now so that the country is properly connected, and then over time the intersections can be eliminated or changed to interchanges.

PlaneMad

July 9th, 2006, 10:43 AM

Did you guys notice that Arunachal Pradesh is in red, aka is it a disputed territory? So are parts of Himachal and Uttaranchal. Kashmir is all messed up.

This is unacceptable. Can this map be corrected?
Kronik, i made the map and will not correct it just because im an Indian. The map is totally unbiased and is seen from a neutral point of view. J&K and AP and small areas of HP are disputed territories which is why it has red borders. Just because disputed land is controlled by India it doesnt become Indian, in the same way Pakistan controlled disputed areas doesnt become theirs. This map is how things stand today, not how it will be in the future or how it had been in the past, accept reality even if you dont like it :scouserd: otherwise stick to ncert textbook maps and dont complain about the quality :)

Btw if anyone has an atlas of national highways could they notify me about errors?

Naga_Solidus

July 9th, 2006, 06:55 PM

For India, building a lot of roads is more important right now than building a few American class expressways. Interchanges cost *a lot* of money. Cloverleafs are $100 million+, 4 level stack interchanges are $250 million+. India doesn't have that kind of money.

They need to build the roads now so that the country is properly connected, and then over time the intersections can be eliminated or changed to interchanges.

Where did u get those motorway interchange construction costs from?

And btw cloverleaves, spirals, stacks, etc. are only really needed when a motorway intersects another motorway or an a-road. Diamonds are acceptable in most other cases, ftr, though every now and then a parclo may be needed at an intersection with a surface street.

FTR, the AIIMS Interchange in Delhi (with 9 signal-free drections) was built at a cost of Rs. 68,00,00,000 (http://www.hinduonnet.com/2003/05/17/stories/2003051706360300.htm) (Rs. 68 crore, or $14,827,736.59, a far cry from your quoted $100mil figure).

castlerock

July 9th, 2006, 07:17 PM

Is the mod napping. This kind of map showing integral parts of India as disputed is totally unacceptable and irresponsible.

Bombay Boy

July 9th, 2006, 11:37 PM

they are disputed though. burying your head in the sand is not going to change ground realities

Sridhar

July 9th, 2006, 11:52 PM

Himachal Pradesh has no disputed borders. No need to go overboard to be 'unbiased'. It is one thing to show truly disputed borders as such, e.g. in Kashmir. But why show even undisputed territory in red? Further, none of the international maps show Arunachal as disputed, though they usually differentially shade specific areas of J&K that are under Indian, Pakistani and Chinese control.

It would be perfectly acceptable and would meet Wikipedia standards to not show AP as disputed, though I recognize that Wikipedia will not allow J&K to be shown as undisputed. And there is no case for showing parts of HP as disputed, when even the Chinese do not claim the formerly disputed areas in the middle sector any more. Why be more loyal than the King?

castlerock

July 9th, 2006, 11:58 PM

Hey, then if your endeavor is to advertise disputed teritories in India, then
you should'nt have left out some of those north eastern states also.
And I am sure there are bound to be other chunks of of land in our country that
some bloke somewhere must have set his eyes upon and considers them 'disputed'.
While you are at it, I think u should mark them out also in the map.
I am not saying that one has to always tow the govt line, but one should also
not put up a sorry face for something that scores of our country men have
lost their lives withholding.
Its just my opinion and I believe of a vast majority of Indians

Bombay Boy

July 10th, 2006, 12:12 AM

yes first time i heard of hp having disputed borders. but i thought ap was still an ongoing process with the chinese. or has it been resolved yet?

Bombay Boy

July 10th, 2006, 12:19 AM

this (http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/HF27Ad01.html) seems to suggest that the ap issue is far from resolved

Hindustani

July 10th, 2006, 12:26 AM

My recollection is Arunachal is not recognized by China as intergral part of India just as Aksai Chin is not recognized by India as intergral part of China. Recently, Sikkim is finally, finally recognized by China as intergral part of India.

The whole MacMahon line is one big holy mess to be frank. But the way things are going, China strongly believes Arunachal particularly Tawang area is their integral part & the only 'permanent' solution looks at the point is swaping Arunachal for Aksai Chin in the future. But I cannot see India dong this.

enemyofthebabus

July 10th, 2006, 12:39 AM

If you are an Indian, see India the way us Indians see it, not the way the Pakistanis and the Chinese or "Wilkepedia" see it. There have been many forces in the past, and I am sure there will be in the future, who will try to divide us. We need to all stand united.

Anyways, lets drop it and focus on the true subject of this thread.

Sridhar

July 10th, 2006, 02:37 AM

It was not my claim that Arunachal is resolved. Arunachal is not recognized by China as part of India, but it is not shown as disputed territory in most international maps (except official Chinese ones) since the world accepts it as Indian territory. Most international maps, however, do show the three parts of J&K separately - the ones under Indian, Pakistani and Chinese control. China claims quite a lot of land in other countries. They do not even recognize parts of Assam as being in India (e.g. Tinsukhia). But the point is that other than China, no other country considers it disputed. So why be loyal to the Chinese point of view alone. That is not an 'unbiased' viewpoint - it is purely a Chinese viewpoint.

Let me clarify the whole border dispute with China. The McMahon line has three sectors. The eastern sector is in Arunachal. This is still under negotiation. A small sector is our border with China in Sikkim. This is resolved now, with China officially recognizing Sikkim as part of India. It was the only country in the world not to recognize it as part of India, but that has changed as of last year. The middle-sector is in Uttaranchal and HP. This is also resolved now, with the border being drawn on maps and maps exchanged. Thus, there is no dispute in the Uttaranchal and HP borders and the latest Chinese maps have started indicating the border as such. The Western sector is in J&K. Here, the negotiations are still on.

I agree that we should get back to the topic of the thread. I would only urge Planemad that he present a truly unbiased map, according to Wikipedia standards, rather than one that presents the Chinese position alone or even goes beyond it (e.g. the HP case).

Suncity

July 10th, 2006, 04:23 AM

Is the mod napping. This kind of map showing integral parts of India as disputed is totally unacceptable and irresponsible.

The mod is not napping.

Planemad is a pretty serious member as is Kronik and Sridhar and Hindustani and Bombay Boy. As long as discussions between long time and responsible forumers goes on without stepping on each other's toes, I am not going to intervene.

The map is a map used by Wikipedia and I believe the editors of that page are Indian too. If anyone has any complaints about the accuracy of the map it should be directed to Wikipedia editors.

If a map does not state that it is "Based upon the Survey map with the permission of the Surveyor General of India" it does not accurately reflect the official border.

Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:China_administrative.png

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:India_map_en.svg

kronik

July 10th, 2006, 05:13 AM

kronik

July 10th, 2006, 06:16 AM

Expressway left hanging at one-end (http://business-standard.com/economy/storypage.php?tab=r&autono=97540&subLeft=1&leftnm=3)

The inauguration of the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project from the Mysore-end failed to take off on Friday.

The Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE) managing director Ashok Kheny was unwilling to defy the day-long prohibitory orders imposed the previous night at the inauguration site at Rajiv Nagar on the outskirts of Mysore on July 7.

After dropping his proposal to launch the work on Friday, Kheny told reporters that he welcomed the announcement of chief minister H D Kumaraswamy in the Assembly on Thursday night to hold a judicial enquiry into the 11-year-old project.

“The problem is not Kheny, H D Deve Gowda or the chief minister. The problem is the bureaucracy, the system we have inherited from the British, who wanted the country to remain undeveloped,” he lamented.

At the end of the day’s four-hour high drama, which witnessed the NICE MD running from pillar to post, including the deputy commissioner’s office, who is also the chairman of the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA), and facing two pro-project demonstrations and one demonstration against the project, Kheny said he will launch the work from Mysore on July 11.

On the grounds that KIADB had not paid for the land, the MUDA authorities, which is in possession of the land, had stopped the work initiated by NICE engineers on Thursday with the help of the police. The police had barricaded the spot and imposed ban orders under Section 144. DC and MUDA chairman Selva Kumar said that MUDA had stopped the work “to protect its property from encroachment”.

Hoping that the payment from KIADB will come to the MUDA before July 11 and the paper process will be completed by then, Kheny expressed confidence at completing the Kanakapura-Bannerghatta and Mysore-Magadi sections of the peripheral road by August 15.

The work from Mysore till Cauvery bridge will be completed in three months.

Except the BMIC project, no major project including the Bangalore International Airport, Bangalore metro or the Nagarjuna power project were taking shape. Even after 14 years, not a single flight has taken off or even one km of metro come through. Meanwhile, 9.5 km of peripheral road of the BMIC project had been put into service.

He said that he will not drop the project. “We have a commitment to do the job. We will do it.”

PlaneMad

July 10th, 2006, 09:25 AM

Thanks Sridhar.

India does not have a border dispute with China over HP and Uttaranchal. As Sridhar said, the only country in the world that does not recognize Arunachal as a part of India is China.

Well, Its your map Planemad, I can't tell you what to do with it, but I just want you to recognize India's positions as well.
To be honest, i do not know the hard facts about HP and UT, but were based on this (http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/middle_east_and_asia/china_indiaw_border_88.jpg) map which indicated that it was disputed as far back as 1988 but may not be any longer, will try to find info about that. Its possible that no one knows because its such a small area compared to J&K and AP.
The British continued their map making to define the border between what is now Himachal Pradesh, Garhwal and Kumaon with Tibet. In all these areas the line was drawn to follow the watershed of the Himalaya. Even on this border the Chinese claim minor areas as belonging to them. In all these cases these areas are across the watershed but the Chinese claim that these areas were traditionally under Tibetan, and therefore now under Chinese control.
http://www.india-seminar.com/2006/562/562-vk-singh.htm

The Indian outline map was made by another user which i helped optimize, so i didnt really care to check facts as the map had been made after comprehensive discussion with various people.
Sridhar, you are right in saying that showing AP as disputed will be from a Chinese point of view. I will get around to changing that and even the minor disputed areas :) , but no change for J&K.

And Sun, can you wait 2 days before deleting these posts as i can cite this discussion on WP for support, thanks :cheers:

pding

July 10th, 2006, 06:18 PM

Ar.P. is regarded Indian by everybody except China. so, i think it is safe to consider it as an integral part of India on wikipedia.

kronik

July 21st, 2006, 06:29 AM

New technology to obviate stops at toll points (http://business-standard.com/economy/storypage.php?tab=r&autono=98986&subLeft=1&leftnm=3)

At a time when an increasing number of roads across the country are being tolled, a technology that is being studied to be adapted in India might revolutionise the way toll fees are collected here.

If implemented, the system even promises to ensure that vehicle users can travel all over the country using tolled roads operated by various companies and yet not get stopped at a tolling booth, even once.

Officials in G M R Infrastructure Limited, one of the top 10 infrastructure companies in India, say that they will soon propose a National Toll Card to the Planning Commission and the Road Transport ministry.

Under the system, a vehicle user has to buy a toll card by paying a lumpsum. The vehicle owner is given a toll card which he can then stick on the windscreen of his vehicle. 'At every toll booth there will be scanners that will read the card and debit from the vehicle owner’s account,' said B V N Rao.

The card when fixed on to the windscreen of a vehicle will be read by scanners at the toll booth. Thus the toll fee will be deducted from the vehicle owner’s account.

According to Rao, such Highway Transportation Management Systems can also be integrated in order to ensure that vehicle owners can move seamlessly from roads operated by various BOT operators, all over the country.

G M R Infrastructure which has done a study on this tolling system now plans to make a presentation before the government agencies concerned.

According to Rao such Highway Transport Management Systems are a must if using national highways under the BOT system have to become easy for vehicle owners and drivers.

magestom

July 21st, 2006, 07:28 PM

pding

July 21st, 2006, 11:03 PM

New technology to obviate stops at toll points (http://business-standard.com/economy/storypage.php?tab=r&autono=98986&subLeft=1&leftnm=3)

this system is in place in US. in NJ and North East it is called and EZ Pass. in some places, you can maintain the speed at which you are going. in most places, you will have to slow down. but it's better than stopping every time.

kashyap3

July 22nd, 2006, 01:15 AM

sammyk

July 22nd, 2006, 08:32 AM

Bombay Boy

July 22nd, 2006, 04:25 PM

HC paves the way for better roads

Wants Quality-Control Audit Of City Streets

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Mumbai: The Bombay high court on Thursday directed the BMC to ensure that all asphalt and cement roads constructed in the city in the current financial year undergo a quality-control audit by thirdparty auditors as per the recommendations of the Standing Technical Advisory Committee (STAC)’s 2004 report (Merani panel report).
A division bench of justices R M Lodha and N H Patil also asked the civic body to maintain the roads as per the STAC specifications and initiate action against errant contractors. The third-party auditors appointed by the BMC for conducting the quality control are—Shrikhande & Associates, Shirish Patel & associates, Congress for Road Research India and AB Karveer & Associates.
The court’s orders came during the hearing of PILs filed by resident-activists Kewal Semlani and Bhagwanji Rayani and city cardiologist Dr Sandeep Rane on the poor condition of roads in Mumbai and Thane.
The court has also sought a solution from the BMC for repeated digging up of roads. The municipal corporation’s counsel, K K Singhvi, and MMRDA lawyer Rajendra Savant raised a common grievance that the 13 public utilities, including MTNL, GAIL and others, were mainly responsible for the damage caused to over 450 km of roads. The BMC informed the court that it would assign a junior/sub engineer in each of the 24 wards to monitor trenching work. The court also asked the BMC to come up with a scheme for better synchronisation and coordination between the agencies that dig up roads.
The court also directed the civic body to use the entire budgetary provision of Rs 680.89 crore, earmarked for road works in the city. Of the amount, asphalt roads will get Rs 331 crore, while Rs 349 crore will be provided for concretisation work. The BMC informed the court that the Rs 72 crore left unutilised from last year’s budget would also be used during the current financial year. Singhvi informed the court that STAC guidelines had been incorporated in all the tenders invited after April 2005.
The case will come up for hearing on August 16 when the court will hear issues relating to roads under the control of MMRDA and Mumbai Port Trust.

Tintin27

July 22nd, 2006, 08:20 PM

theres one even better
its one where you dont even have to slow down
its called the 407 ETR
where cameras stationed at exits and entries take pictures of license plates
record that into their memories
then they record where you exited
and then mail you a bill based on the information archived on your license plate
state of the art and one of a kind
http://www.407etr.com/

I hope India catches onto this tech and eliminates the need for tool booths
[they may be an employment stimulator though...]
Singapore has this for quite a long time. They set the rates according to the time you enter the main city area and charges u from the overhead gantries. However, all cars must have that device failing which your car license plate number will be photographed and will be fined heavily. It uses the normal CAsh card which is inserted into the device. you can top up the cash card virtually anywhere including the 7eleven stores. I am sure india will be using the technology sometime very soon knowing that Malaysia has this in lot of its tolled highways where it reads from the overhead gantries.. Only thing that bothers me is the way they are charged here in india. While you can virtually drive 50km without paying a toll, you mite also pay quite a bit for using something like 20km. They have put tolled booths at various locations on the highways rather than putting them on the entry, exit ramps, which will ensure u pay for the distance u travel.. I recently travelled to durgapur from kolkata using the durgapur expressway. While the highway was great, you pay two tolls from kolkata if you want to go to burdwan which is 90km from kol ,(2 tolls here meaning Rs 35 * 2), there is no toll onwards till durgapur.. Meaning, lots and lots of buses use the expressway travelling between durgapur and burdwan(70 - 80 km) as there is no toll in the middle and no buses from burdwan to kolkata on the expressway because two tollgates in the middle.. that stretch looks virtually empty...

pding

July 23rd, 2006, 06:23 PM

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1773088.cms

Grant Rs 120 cr for Vijaywada-Ranchi NH: Plan Commission

The Planning Commission has recommended granting of Rs 120 crore for the proposed Vijayawada-Ranchi National Highway which would pass through Orissa's KBK region.
The investment for the proposed NH would be made through special area rural connectivity authority, a statement issued by the Chief Minister's office said.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had been emphasizing on the project as it would help socio-economic development of backward Kalahandi-Bolangir-Koraput (KBK) region, it said.
The project was also expected to help combat the growing menace of Naxalism in the region, the statement said.

_________________________________________________________________

there is an urgent need of better roads at least in underdeveloped areas, so these areas can attract investment especially in manufacturing sector.

Naga_Solidus

July 23rd, 2006, 08:47 PM

http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=192096

Dec on, more cops, PCR vehicles to man expressway

New Delhi, July 9: SCORES of new PCR vans, two new police stations, and a new DSP-level post created specifically for the Gurgaon-Delhi expressway. Come December, and Haryana Police promises a hassle-free ride on the 27.7-km stretch, as the state cops take charge of patrolling, handling accidents and enforcing traffic rules along with the National Highway Authority of India.

Besides the extensive security structure, Haryana Police will also strengthen khaki presence in the twin towns of Gurgaon and Faridabad, officials said.

According to Haryana DGP Nirmal Singh Rathore, the state police will soon get 86 PCR vans for Gurgaon to patrol the expressway and reduce response time in meeting law and order problems in the satellite township. “26 PCR vans will arrive shortly,” he said, “while the proposal for another 60 has been sent to the government for approval.”

DGP Rathore said another 50 PCR vans would be given to Faridabad.

Besides, “two special Traffic Police stations are being set up in Gurgaon to patrol and handle accidents round the clock on the expressway,” the DGP said. “A post of DSP (Gurgaon Traffic) is also being created to head the police stations.”

Another 20 traffic police stations are also being set up across the state, Rathore added.

The traffic police’s role in Gurgaon and on the expressway has been negligible till date.

Of the seven flyovers on the expressway, two have already been opened — the Rajokri flyover on April 20, followed by the Rajiv Chowk flyover on June 9. Two of the five underpasses — Sector-31 and Jharsa — are set for inauguration this month-end, while South City underpass will open by August-end. The deadline for the other flyovers and underpasses are scheduled for December.

Meanwhile, NHAI has also formed a special team of road marshalls to check encroachment along the expressway and to bar unauthorised access. The team is also tasked with ensuring smooth traffic flow, and timely report on accidents and road maintenance needs.

According to studies conducted by RITES consortium on behalf of NHAI, the Delhi-Gurgaon expressway at present handles approximately 1.2 lakh vehicles daily. the figure is expected to touch 1.5 lakh by 2010.

Hail expressway
* Gurgaon to Dhaula Kuan in 20 minutes (earlier took 65 minutes)
* Uninterrupted access to IGI airport
* 27.7-km intersection-free stretch (present stretch has 20 intersections)
* 7 flyovers, 5 underpasses, all 8-lane and 6-lane
* Completion date: December

http://www.business-standard.com/smartinvestor/storypage.php?leftnm=0&subLeft=10&chklogin=N&autono=98975&tab=r

Road to another Gurgaon

Rs 1,800-cr expressway to transform rural areas like Jhajjar, Sonepat into industrial hubs.

After Gurgaon, the next big boom in Haryana is around the corner. This time, the Rs 1,800-crore Kundli-Manesar-Palwal expressway that may perhaps be the largest single road contract awarded in the country will be the trigger.

Once the by-pass is constructed, rural areas like Jhajjar, Sonepat and Rohtak will get transformed into industrial hubs.

"In a decade, Jhajjar will become another Gurgaon," said Haryana State Industrial Development Corporation (HSIDC) spokesperson Jeevan Bhardwaj.

The corporation has awarded the contract to DS Constructions on a BOT basis and the concession period is 23 years and nine months. The project is expected to be completed in 2009. The expressway route is Kundli-Sonepat-Bahadurgarh-Jhajjar-Gurgaon-Faridabad-Palwal.

While Gurgaon and Faridabad have gained from their proximity to Delhi, the other areas have remained largely under-developed. With the proposed highway, the state has been bombarded with investment proposals in the region.

The state government already has plans for two industrial townships of about 3000 acres each. The Reliance Industries special economic zone, too, is coming up on either side of this highway.

Apart from these projects, a petrochemicals hub,spread over 5,000 acres, is also coming up at Panipat. Land acquisition for the first phase — of 1,000 acres — has already been completed. According to sources, the state government also has a proposal to build an education hub at Panipat.

Indian Foundation of Transport Research and Training co-ordinator SP Singh said the proposed expressway would also help decongest Delhi roads as "once the highway is constructed, about 25,000-50,000 commercial vehicles which usually pass through the city will take the new road".

http://www.expressestates.in/full_story.php?content_id=70610

"Kundli to Gurgaon in an hour"

If you live in Sonepat but travel frequently to Gurgaon, it’s a long, tiring drive at present requiring you to negotiate Delhi’s crowded roads. But your troubles are short-lived. Within three years, D S Constructions, a Delhi-based company, will complete the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway, also known as Western Peripheral Expressway. Starting from Kundli, north of Delhi, the expressway will proceed in a 135-km-long arc west of Delhi. Along the way it will intersect NH-10 (near Bahadurgarh and Rohtak) and NH-8 (near Manesar), and terminate six kilometres ahead of Palwal (south of Faridabad). H S Kohli, director, D S Construction, and chairman, KMP Expressway, the company that has won the tender from Haryana State Industrial Corporation (HSIDC) for developing this expressway, spoke to Sanjay Kr Singh about the pleasant commute ahead for travellers.

What is the idea behind constructing this expressway?
At present, a lot of traffic coming from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, which is not going to terminate in Delhi, passes through the capital city. Constructing the expressway will allow this traffic to bypass the city, thereby reducing congestion within Delhi and lowering pollution levels.

In addition to this expressway, there also exists a separate plan for building the Eastern Peripheral Expressway. It will begin from Palwal, go via Noida, and terminate at Kundli, thereby forming a complete Ring Road.

By how much is KMP Expressway expected to reduce travel time between Kundli and Gurgaon?
Today if you are travelling from Kundli to Gurgaon, given the quality of roads, the distance, and the amount of traffic you encounter, it takes at least two-and-a-half hours. In addition, you have to pass through Delhi. Once this two-lane expressway is ready, you will be able to cover 135 km in slightly more than an hour. Remember that the entire stretch will be free of traffic lights. And you will have quality driving, which means less damage to your car.

What industrial development is the construction of this expressway expected to foster?
Haryana government has plans for developing the entire area along this expressway as an industrial corridor. Already Reliance is developing a Special Economic Zone in Gurgaon and Jhajjar districts. Near Sonepat an Education City is under development. Infotech parks and industrial towns are also planned.

The Sonepat-Panipat belt has handloom, textile, and footwear industries. A number of these will shift to this corridor because of the infrastructure that will become available here, such as an airport and an international container depot. This zone will also be linked directly to ports in Gujarat, both by road and by rail, which will facilitate export and import. Custom clearance facility will also be available here.

A lot of perishable fruits come from Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. The processing units in these states are small. With the tax relief provided within SEZs, and the airport that will allow quick transportation, this area could easily develop into a food-processing and export hub.

Maruti has bought 600 acres within Haryana. If other car manufacturers also set up plants here, the area could develop into the Detroit of north.
Gems and jewellery and apparels are some of the other industries that are expected to come up in a big way here.
Haryana government is also planning to come up with a power plant to meet the power requirements of this industrial corridor.

A large number of residential developments are already coming up in townships along this corridor. What impact is the expressway expected to have?
Bahadurgarh, Jhajjar, Rohtak, Sonepat, Manesar, Palwal and Sohna are among the fastest growing towns of Haryana. Huge townships are expected to come up here, most of them initiated by private developers.

The expressway was announced about three years ago. Since then, a number of proactive real estate companies have purchased land and begun development, especially in the Sonepat-Kundli area going right up to Panipat. At the southern tip, if you visit Palwal, signboards of private developers are up everywhere.

Whom will these residential townships target?
The middle-income segment can’t afford apartments in places like south Delhi, Gurgaon or Noida, where rates have risen to Rs 4,000-5,000 per sq ft and above. Those with a budget of Rs 10-25 lakh will welcome the opportunity to move to these mini-townships along this expressway, especially if they can reach their office or factory in less than an hour.

A number of expressway projects get delayed. The Taj Expressway is one instance. What have you done to ensure that your project will be completed on schedule?
Delays happen because land acquisition is not completed on time. Then, if an operational road is being widened into an expressway, you have to cope with the running traffic. Removing utilities takes a lot of time in such cases. Again, if the expressway passes through several states, then too there are delays in land acquisition, compensation to owners, and in obtaining sanctions from multiple agencies.

In this case, the government of Haryana is acquiring the land and handing it over to us. It has acquired 80-90 per cent land already. Moreover, this is a greenfield project, so we won’t have to cope with running traffic. The entire project runs through only one state, Haryana, so the problem of dealing with multiple agencies doesn’t exist. Internally, our resources are in place, and we have planned the project well. Finally, the Supreme Court is monitoring the progress of this project. So the chances of it getting delayed are very small.
Harayana government plans to develop the entire area along the expressway as an industrial belt

How did the Supreme Court come into the picture?
The plan for developing this expressway was mooted by the SC. Some time ago, when Delhi had become very polluted, the Supreme Court had taken several initiatives to reduce pollution. These included introducing CNG, moving polluting industries out, and banning polluting vehicles. That was when the Court suggested developing an expressway that would allow vehicles to bypass Delhi. So the Court has been a part of this development and it asks for regular progress reports.

What is the revenue model for the expressway?
Based on the detailed project report prepared by RITES, a toll fee structure has been fixed. Passenger cars, vans and jeeps will be charged Rs 0.75 per km. Light commercial vehicles will be charged Rs 1.25 per km. Trucks and buses will be charged Rs. 2.60 per km. Multi axel vehicles will be charged Rs. 4.15 per km. To give an example, a car travelling along the entire length of the expressway will pay Rs 101.25.

This project will cost you Rs 1,800 crore. What is the payback period?
The payback period depends on the concession period, which is the period during which KMP Expressway will build and operate this project. The concession period here is 23 years and nine months. That includes the three years it will take to construct the expressway.

What are some of the notable features of this expressway?
It will be an international class project. The aggregate used for constructing the expressway has been imported from our facilities abroad. So you won’t find any undulations or potholes, and it will withstand hail, rain, and high temperatures. At crossovers, where this highway intersects another, there will be no blocks or jams.

The tolling process will use the latest technology. Regular users will flash a smart card to gain access. For those paying cash there will be a separate lane. Even here the transaction won’t take more than 10-12 seconds.

pding

July 24th, 2006, 01:02 AM

great update Naga. are there any graphics showing the route of these two expressways and the current stage of construction. being close to Delhi, these rural areas are finally reaping the benefit of India's economic boom.

Naga_Solidus

July 24th, 2006, 01:09 AM

I havent been able to find any diagrams for the peripheral expwy, but I do remeber seeing a routemap of the Gurgaon Expwy on Gurgaonscoop quite a while back. You can also see outated (c. 2004 or so) images of the Guragon Expwy u/c in Google Earth.

IndiansUnite

July 24th, 2006, 04:44 PM

Here you go..:)
http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/5298/1ma9.jpg

BTW ill try getting pics of the U/C del-gur expressway during my stay in Delhi

pding

July 24th, 2006, 05:43 PM

let's say somebody is travelling all the way from kundli to palwal. will the expressway cut the time shorter than the direct route which is def shorter.

Naga_Solidus

July 24th, 2006, 05:54 PM

Here you go..:)
http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/5298/1ma9.jpg

BTW ill try getting pics of the U/C del-gur expressway during my stay in Delhi

Thx man.

BTW, fromt he image above, it appears that the gurgaon Expwy will got to being a normal highway (NH8) for a little while before intersecting the KMP Expressway. IMO, in such a situation, the Gurgaon Expwy should be extended to Manesar as soon as they finish up with their current plans.

IndiansUnite

July 27th, 2006, 06:57 AM

let's say somebody is travelling all the way from kundli to palwal. will the expressway cut the time shorter than the direct route which is def shorter.

Hmmmm,i would say going all the way from the expressway would cut more time than travelling by the direct route atleast for a couple of years(till del-agra becomes an expressway and same for NH1).It allready takes 1-2 hrs from Palwal to reach Delhi's outskirts before you are stranded in Faridabad.Going further till you hit the Ring Road,its a smooth ride to NH1 and then again a 1 hour drive to Kundli.While if you travel on the expressway,not only will you have a smooth nonstop ride but imo you'll get to save a lot of time.
bottomline is this--> go through a smooth ride on the expressway or go through the mess in Faridabad with traffic Jams killing away time.

On the same lines,read this--> via expressestates (http://www.expressestates.in/full_story.php?content_id=70610)
By how much is KMP Expressway expected to reduce travel time between Kundli and Gurgaon?
Today if you are travelling from Kundli to Gurgaon, given the quality of roads, the distance, and the amount of traffic you encounter, it takes at least two-and-a-half hours. In addition, you have to pass through Delhi. Once this two-lane expressway is ready, you will be able to cover 135 km in slightly more than an hour. Remember that the entire stretch will be free of traffic lights. And you will have quality driving, which means less damage to your car.

BTW, fromt he image above, it appears that the gurgaon Expwy will got to being a normal highway (NH8) for a little while before intersecting the KMP Expressway. IMO, in such a situation, the Gurgaon Expwy should be extended to Manesar as soon as they finish up with their current plans.

True,they should extend the expressway till the KMP expressway.i also read somewhere about plans on converting del-jaipur and del-agra highways into complete expressways,guess that has a long way to go.

---------------

And now if the KMP or Western Peripheral expressway wasnt enough,heres its eastern counterpart!

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/8177/2bt6.jpg

cheers :)

sudipta_rch

July 27th, 2006, 07:37 AM

NHAI asked to expedite projects - two laning suggested for low-density corridors of N-S E-W routes.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1797915.cms

IndiansUnite

July 27th, 2006, 08:34 AM

Mum-Vadodara expressway on the cards? --> you bet!

screenshot from NHAI's site

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/6470/3bu1.jpg

klein

July 28th, 2006, 03:02 PM

Once this two-lane expressway is ready, you will be able to cover 135
km in slightly more than an hour. Remember that the entire stretch will be
free of traffic lights. And you will have quality driving, which means less
damage to your car.

I really hope they mean 2 lanes on both sides of the road .. ( i.e 4 laned). Otherwise
this project will become an expensive white elephant.

ramkan

July 28th, 2006, 04:36 PM

I dont think NHAI ever planned for 8 lane(4x4) on NSEW corridor. It has been 4 lane(2x2) project from the begining like golden quadrilateral. Does it mean they are going to make it one lane each way to speed up work. It does not make any sense. Long run it has to be extended again as the traffic goes up with increased connectivity.

Look at Golden quadrilateral, they are already talking about making it 6 lane(3x3) on high density corridors. They could have gone with six lanes(3x3) in first place.

IndiansUnite

July 29th, 2006, 10:32 PM

I really hope they mean 2 lanes on both sides of the road .. ( i.e 4 laned). Otherwise
this project will become an expensive white elephant.

hehe..Must be a typo or the guy answering the question meant 2 lanes in both directions.

they are already talking about making it 6 lane(3x3) on high density corridors

True,infact 6 laning of a part of the Mumbai-Delhi corridor(NH8) near surat has begun.

kashyap3

July 30th, 2006, 12:11 AM

I'm not sure how this is 'better'. According to the website it still requires a transponder. Why it takes pictures of the plate is beyond me. Besides, license plates in India don't seem to be standardized (from my observation) and can be long, upright, or even in the local language. The system being suggested in the article posted should not require a slowdown either if built that way. No different than the mentioned EZPass, TxTag, or any similar program in the US/Canada.

that is only for trucks

an average joe can just drive by as if it was a freeway and you'll get mailed a bill in a month's time

and font/text/language isnt a big deal, all it needs is a few fixes in the software

its quite effective

even if you take off your license plate, they still manage to identify you and you still get mailed a bill

i agree that its quite an annoyance when they put up toll booths regardless of entry or exit, partly due to the lack of exits/entries

so no matter what all traffic passes through the toll booths, or you should've taken an exit 50 kms ago

Naga_Solidus

August 1st, 2006, 09:48 PM

http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=194485

New Delhi, July 27: DRIVING down the Delhi-Gurgaon expressway at night is going to be a different experience, once the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) is through with its project.

The expressway, with “world-class” powerful lighting, double the illumination level of any highway in the country, will open for commuters in phases by the end of this year.

Twenty-metre-high octagonal poles and 1,000-watt light fixtures, all imported from Dubai, are being installed at present. These are being used for the first time in India on any highway, said officials of JPDSC, the company in charge of the Rs 20-crore project.

An illumination level of more than 40 lux has been designed for the project, which is equivalent to international lighting standards, they added.

“In India, the maximum lux level maintained in highways is 20. Keeping in view the standard driving speed of 100 km/h, it is imperative to have good lighting levels of 35 lux or more for safety of the users,” said the JPDSC officers.

Twelve-metre-high conical inclined poles have been used to give an aesthetic look to certain parts of the highway, while decorative poles will be used in the air funnel area near the airport, said the officials.

To take care that the lights never go off, high-power generators will also be installed under the flyovers, they added. While BSES will be giving electricity for the Delhi side of the highway, the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam (HVPN) will take care of the Haryana side, they said.

According to studies conducted by RITES consortium on behalf of NHAI, the Delhi-Gurgaon expressway at present handles 1.2 lakh vehicles daily. The figure is expected to touch 1.5 lakh by 2010.

Of the seven flyovers on the expressway, two have already been opened — the Rajokri flyover on April 20, and Rajiv Chowk flyover on June 9. Two of the five underpasses — Sector 31 and Jharsa — are set for inauguration this month-end, while South City underpass will open by August-end.

The deadline for the other flyovers and underpasses are set for December.

Expressway effect
* Gurgaon to Dhaula Kuan in 20 mins
* Uninterrupted access to IGI Airport
* 27.7-km intersection-free stretch (20 intersections at present) * 7 flyovers, 5 underpasses, all 8-lane and 6-lane

Paddington

August 1st, 2006, 10:23 PM

How does the New Delhi "Outerbelt" (as they call it here in Columbus), compare to other famous ring roads, such as the Interstate 295 "Capital Beltway" in Washington D.C. and the M-25 outside London?

Paddington

August 1st, 2006, 10:26 PM

IndiansUnite

August 1st, 2006, 10:32 PM

How does the New Delhi "Outerbelt" (as they call it here in Columbus), compare to other famous ring roads, such as the Interstate 295 "Capital Beltway" in Washington D.C. and the M-25 outside London?

To start off with Delhi allready has two pretty good ring Roads with about about 20-25 flyovers each.A third one in the form of an expressway is just what the doctor ordered..It will be be access controlled thus making it a high speed corridor for cars and trucks to bypass the city.

IndiansUnite

August 1st, 2006, 10:38 PM

Also I think it's funny how in India they think the project will primarily be to New Delhi's benefit. It will help decongest the capital, but the biggest beneficiary is going to be Haryana, which will have dozens of Boomburbs pop up along the expressway with factories and office parks, especially as India becomes more of a motor society in the coming decades.

True,HaraYana will benefit a lot with Reliance allready announcing to set up a special economic Zone next to it amongst other IT parks,factories which will come up..

Paddington

August 2nd, 2006, 02:11 AM

IndiansUnite

August 2nd, 2006, 02:30 AM

The New Delhi beltway is going to be huge. I just did some math and it's 160 miles.

The outerbelt here in Columbus is 55 miles I believe, and the one in Washington is about the same size. The biggest circular expressway in the U.S. is (or at least was, I don't know what they've done in Houston lately ) I-275 in Cincinnati at some 85 miles or so.

Ive travelled on i-275 for about 30 miles or so..

Nelaturi

August 2nd, 2006, 12:53 PM

Check this out. Bangalore to have a Satellite towns ring road 284 km long. Hope this is not the usual hyperbole announcement by the govt, but something really comes out of it. This would probably then be the biggest ring road in India (or equal to the new one proposed in Delhi, haryana), if & when it comes about.

http://www.hindu.com/2006/08/01/stories/2006080114890400.htm

http://www.hindu.com/2006/08/01/images/2006080114890401.jpg

Bangalore: The Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA) plans to develop 734 km ring roads in the city.

The authority will develop Satellite Town Ring Road, the Intermediate Ring Road and Radial Roads.

According to the plans released at the launch of BMRDA's land survey here on Monday,the Satellite Town Ring Road (284 km) will connect important satellite towns like Gudemaaranahalli, Dobbspet, Doddaballapur, Devanahalli, Sulibele, Hoskote, Sarjapur, Attibele, Anekal, Tattikere, Kanakapura, Ramanagaram and Magadi.

The Intermediate Ring Road (188 km) circumventing the city beyond the proposed BDA Peripheral Road (110 km) connecting Tattekere, Harohalli, Bidadi, Thippagondanahalli. Nelamangala, Devanahalli, Nallur, Hoskote and Sarjapur.

Radial Roads (262 km) will connect the existing Outer Ring Road and the proposed Peripheral Road of the BDA as well as the BMRDA proposed Intermediate Ring Road and Satellite Town Ring Road.

Ring roads for Ramanagaram, Kanakapura, Anekal, Hoskote, Devanahalli, Doddaballapur, Nelamangala, Magadi towns that will be connected by Satellite Town Ring Road and Intermediate Ring Road. The five townships are Bidadi (9,684 acres) Ramanagaram (4,103 acres), Sathanur (16,232 acres), Solur (12,525 acres) and Nandagudi (18,507 acres).

BMRDA Metropolitan Commissioner Sudhir Krishna, after a presentation on the project, said ring road development had several advantages and would help provide better connectivity in and around the city.

Naga_Solidus

August 2nd, 2006, 05:42 PM

They'll probably go ahead with it to compete with the Hyderabad ORR.

MachuPichu

August 3rd, 2006, 07:52 AM

The New Delhi beltway is going to be huge. I just did some math and it's 160 miles. :runaway:

The outerbelt here in Columbus is 55 miles I believe, and the one in Washington is about the same size. The biggest circular expressway in the U.S. is (or at least was, I don't know what they've done in Houston lately :scouserd: ) I-275 in Cincinnati at some 85 miles or so.

Clearly means..it is going to take about 20 years to complete...I believe 1 mile of highway costs about USD 10 MM to lay..so id Delhi contemplating a USD 1.6B road? Where is the money?

Remember the prime minister said India's infrastructure requires USD 100B per year...given the current rate of investment...which is close to 3 to 4 B a year (just to compare, China invested USD 10 B in a single year in Beijing)..it will take approximately a 1000 years to catch up...

this forum needs to focus a lot more on economics...

sammyk

August 3rd, 2006, 08:39 AM

I doubt the construction costs of the US compare to India. It must be much cheaper in India with lower labor costs and such.

naveensn

August 3rd, 2006, 09:26 AM

I doubt the construction costs of the US compare to India. It must be much cheaper in India with lower labor costs and such.

The NHAI four laning on an average costs around Rs. 6-7 crores per km. Even if we assume twice the cost for a ring road, considering that it will be access controlled, well lit etc, the total construction costs wont exceed 14*200 kms = 2800 crores (approx. 700 mm USD) for a 200 km 4 lane expressway. Land acquisition will add extra costs but since the areas that the expressway will pass through are mostly rural, acquisition costs wont be very high. All these figures are on the higher side and I doubt if the real figures will even be two-thirds of this.

I think the Pune-Mumbai expressway cost around 350-400 mm USD when it was built.

ramkan

August 3rd, 2006, 06:10 PM

One thing that is very clear is that the cost of land acquisition is going to be really high for all road projects. Add to that the cost of steel and cement are going up and up.

The cost of land has gone up many times in most areas. Steel and cement went up by 50% in the last year.

Paddington

August 3rd, 2006, 10:50 PM

$1.6 billion is not a huge cost for a 160 mile long road. That kind of road near a metro area in the U.S. would cost tens of billions or more.

You're forgetting that investment in infrastructure creates returns, as in higher GDP's, incomes, and tax revenues in the future. Therefore, a bit of an economic stretch at the moment is what you might need to grow your economy.

That and many of these roads are being built on a build-operate-transfer basis. This is a smart move by the Indian government, which admittedly lacks funds. The costs for road construction and land acquisition are paid for by private (often foreign companies), which have the right to charge tolls within certain limits over the next 30-50 years. After that the Indian government takes charge of the roads.

India is using foreign capital to pay for its infrastructure needs. A smart idea, IMO.

Just thinking of this 160 mile road circling Delhi, and all the cargo traffic not being stuck in the capital anymore, and not to mention, the millions of jobs this expressway will create over the decades in the new towns that popup around it, totally justifies in my mind the $1.6 billion cost. If there's a better investment, I can't think of it.

IndiansUnite

August 4th, 2006, 03:42 AM

VIA HT Mumbai Aug04 2006

http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/2998/2aiw2.jpg

vadi

August 4th, 2006, 05:09 PM

They'll probably go ahead with it to compete with the Hyderabad ORR.

i dunno about Hyderabad ORR but Kheny BMIC is sure setting them on fire. :)
They have now seen the kind of money that is to be made. No more chasing behind measly 50-100 crores. only zillion crore projects for them now. :)

i think they have been discussing these in the BMRDA draft notification plans for a while now. the BDA CDP and BMRDA DNP have some how entangled in one incomprehensible noodle.
BDA rules over Bangalore proper and some nearby CMCs. BMRDA has a larger jurisdiction.

what i want to know is who owns what in those 5 sat towns. ;)

Suncity

August 4th, 2006, 05:37 PM

Kolkata too is getting circular connectivity. It should be completed by 2008 end. I don't know what the length is - probably more than 60 kms.

http://img470.imageshack.us/img470/7664/kolkatacircularsprawlyr4.jpg

Vital links to ring route
- Two roads-cum-flyovers to connect eastern fringe with airport, highways

Two roads-cum-flyovers are being planned to link Basanti Road, on the eastern fringes of the city, with the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass on the one hand and the airport, via New Town Road, on the other.

Work is likely to kick off in February next year and end in March 2008.

Once ready, the roads will serve as crucial links in a huge cyclical route, encompassing Chowbhaga Bazar, the Bantala Leather Complex, airport, Belghoria Expressway, Second Vivekananda Bridge, National Highway 2, National Highway 6, Kona Expressway, AJC Bose Road flyover, Bridge no. 4 (Park Circus), EM Bypass and Basanti Road/Garia (see graphic).

The four-km link between Basanti Road and the Bypass, which will include a km-long flyover, will be laid by Calcutta Municipal Corporation (CMC).

The flyover will come up replacing a wooden bridge on a canal. The road will meet the Bypass near Ruby General Hospital. The Rs 30-crore project will be funded by the Centre under the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission, said municipal commissioner Alapan Bandyopadhyay.

The other road-cum-flyover, to be built by the Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (Hidco), will run six km and open a direct route from the Calcutta Leather Complex, in Bantala, to the airport (via New Town Road), bypassing the Bypass and VIP Road. The project cost has been pegged at Rs 25 crore.

Work on the detailed project reports for both the schemes is in progress.

While civic engineers said the Bypass-Basanti Road link will take six months to complete, Hidco engineers are hopeful of readying the thoroughfare between the leather complex and New Town Road in about a year.

The CMC and Hidco authorities both think the two roads will turn several thousands of acres in the Bantala, Chowbhaga, Nonadanga, Madurdaha and Boinchtala areas as the new realty hub of the city.

“The vast stretch on the eastern city fringe, bordering the East Calcutta Wetlands, will be the new address of Calcutta’s residential estates. Keeping this in mind, we intend building the link road at the earliest,” said mayor Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharyya.

It is for the first time that the civic authorities have embarked on the “geographical value-addition service”, added commissioner Bandyopadhyay.

Hidco managing director R.K. Tripathy said: “Our aim is to build a road network for the upcoming townships on the eastern fringe and to reduce the traffic load on the Bypass and VIP Road. The proposed six-km link artery will enable motorists of those areas to reach the airport skirting the congestion on the Bypass and VIP Road.”

IndiansUnite

August 5th, 2006, 12:39 AM

Kolkata too is getting circular connectivity. It should be completed by 2008 end. I don't know what the length is - probably more than 60 kms.

Wonderful! :nocrook:
Good to hear Kolkata also getting circular connectivity!

IndiansUnite

August 5th, 2006, 12:46 AM

Why the hell would someone lay a foundation stone for widening a road?Anyways good news..

CM lays foundation stone for widening Ring Road

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Friday laid the foundation stone to convert into eight lanes the six lane 8.4 km portion of the Ring Road from Ashram Chowk to Rajghat.

Describing Ring Road as the lifeline of Delhi, Dikshit said her Government is keen to make the entire Ring Road and the Outer Ring Road signal-free to overcome traffic congestion.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1760775,000600010001.htm

raokiranj

August 7th, 2006, 07:06 AM

Hey guyz,

I read in the newspapers today about the "longest traffic tunnel in Asia" was officialli inaugarated yesterday. But since these newspapers are the Bangalore editions, they only have a passing mention and no details.

Does anyone have more details about this tunnel and any snaps?

By the way, whats the status of the Rohtang Tunnel?

Ramon

August 8th, 2006, 05:48 AM

Supposedly, the highest point on any motorable road in Indian territory, is a point on the Changla Pass on the road between Kargil and Leh. I was there as a kid and the sign said as much and posted the altitude at 19,095 feet.

IndiansUnite

August 8th, 2006, 03:23 PM

Here you go Raokiranj

Shimla, Aug 06: A three-kilometre-long double-laned traffic tunnel, touted to be the longest of its kind in Asia, was inaugurated on Sunday on the Manali-Kirtpur highway by Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister V B Singh.

The horse-shoe shaped tunnel, with a diameter of 10.5 metre, was built at a cost of Rs 43 crore, and links Aut and Thalot in Larji hydro-power project area, 40-km from Mandi.

Addressing a public meeting after inaugurating the tunnel, Singh said "development in the state was synonymous with Congress governments and performance would be the party`s main poll plank in next assembly elections."

He said the previous government led by Prem Kumar Dhumal had no clear mandate of the people and the government was installed through "manipulation".

The fragile coalition government failed to ensure speedy and uniform development of the state and congress bounced back to power, he added.

He alleged that BJP leaders from Kullu were attempting to stall the Himalayan ski village project, which was aimed at bringing Manali on world tourism map.

Bureau Report

http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?aid=313996&sid=NAT

raokiranj

August 8th, 2006, 04:14 PM

Here you go Raokiranj

http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?aid=313996&sid=NAT

Thanks IndianSuite :)

ferrari_fan

August 8th, 2006, 04:48 PM

Suncity

August 8th, 2006, 05:18 PM

Here you go Raokiranj
http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?aid=313996&sid=NAT

That news article shows our media's and politician's priorities. At least 70% is about politics - congress-bjp etc.

i'm guessing this would be the tunnel you're talking about? it was nearing completion when i drove through..

Thanks for the photos. Has the national press published any photos yet in their internet editions - considering it is being touted as one of the longest tunnels?

Ajaypp

August 8th, 2006, 07:55 PM

Work on VJT Hall-LMS road to be over by end of the month

Special Correspondent

Construction of flyover at Bakery Junction likely to be over by December

http://img457.imageshack.us/img457/5116/2006080822700301ax7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Thiruvananthapuram: The widening and reconstruction of MG Road from the VJT Hall to the LMS junction is expected to be completed by the end of August. The six-lane road will have an 18-metre carriageway, a two-metre footpath on either side and a 30-cm-wide median in the middle.

The preparatory work on the stretch has picked up after all the shops in front of the Palayam Connemera Market were demolished for widening. The first phase of the reconstruction work involves replacing the masonry side drains with RCC ones. The road profile will be corrected in the subsequent phase and the surface redone with a granular sub-base, wet mix macadam and bituminous macadam as intermediate layers, and bituminous concrete for the surface.

The VJT-LMS road is a key component of the proposed six-lane road from Palayam to Attakulangara. Once completed, it will change the face of the Palayam commercial area and relieve the traffic congestion.

Meanwhile, work on the LMS-Vellayambalam road has picked up after a lull. The widening on the stretch was held up for more than a month after the Government ordered a review of the decision to cut down avenue trees. The issue was sorted out after discussions with environmental activists and people's representatives.

The construction of the flyover at the Bakery Junction has moved into top gear. Project engineers said the work was expected to be completed by December if the North-East monsoon does not play spoilsport. Work on 10 of the 13 piers, which will support the superstructure of the flyover, is progressing on schedule. The construction of the remaining three piers will begin soon.

The casting of the concrete slabs for the flyover is slated to begin by the end of August. The concrete pillars will support a box-type superstructure for the 11-metre-wide road. The piles are embedded in rock up to a depth of 1.2 metres.

Originating from the Panjappura junction, the 524-metre-long flyover will provide an elevated bypass for vehicles right across the RBI junction and Bakery Junction up to the Lutheran church at Panavila. It will be an extension of the underpass from Palayam to the Panjappura junction. The structure will have an elevation of 5.5 m at its highest point. The carriageway will accommodate three-lane bi-directional traffic. It will have no access for pedestrians. The superstructure will be provided with crash barriers on the side to minimise the risk of accidents.

The flyover is a major component of the proposed inner ring road covering Palayam, Bakery Junction, Panavila, Thampanoor, Overbridge, Uppidamoodu, Vanchiyoor, Pattoor and the General Hospital junction. The service road opposite the Reserve Bank of India office at the Bakery Junction will also be completed in a month.

http://www.hindu.com/2006/08/08/stories/2006080822700300.htm

raokiranj

August 9th, 2006, 07:55 AM

i'm guessing this would be the tunnel you're talking about? it was nearing completion when i drove through.. the location seems correct from that article..
http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/1819/cimg5972zg2.jpg

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/9224/cimg5974wi6.jpg

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/1046/cimg5976yg4.jpg

http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/838/cimg5978jj0.jpg

Hi.. yes I think this is the one.. when We were driving througth this in a taxi last July, work was still going on. Mid-way through the tunnel, a truck was parked across blocking our way. we assumed it was some kind of traffic jam..

Then without warning, there was a huge explosion. I quickly realised it was dynamite being used for construction .. but man. .it was scary for the first few milliseconds. .with walls shaking and all! they shouldve atleast put up some board :D

p2p4

August 9th, 2006, 10:20 AM

Hi

I am not surprised at Zee news lack of 'worldliness' when it comes to comparing statistics.

The longest tunnel as of date is Taiwan's Hsuehshan Tunnel which runs at a hard-to-swallow 12.9 km. This tunnel's construction started in 1991 and after almost 15 yrs (and many lives lost), this stands till the Japanese beat them with another record in a few years time.

If the said tunnel (in India) is of 3km with double lanes and supposed to be the longest in Asia? Then someone need to tell our Babus to do their research well. Here in HK, we have a mountain tunnel with double lanes on each side (North and South bound) that runs at a stretch of 3.9km... and we call it Tate's Cairn Tunnel.

Sorry to spoil the party guys... I too would have been proud of us Indians accorded some records for Infrastructure Projects.. but to jump and take at face value for what our (suspect Zee reporters) state, is nothing but a mockery of our pride.

Cheers though
P2P4

Thanks for the photos. Has the national press published any photos yet in their internet editions - considering it is being touted as one of the longest tunnels?[/QUOTE]

ferrari_fan

August 9th, 2006, 03:02 PM

Suncity

August 9th, 2006, 03:23 PM

^^ and i don't think it actually is 3kms long in any case...

i just noticed, if you look carefully at the first pic, you can see it says 790.42 metres..

so much for asia's longest - it's under a km - i wonder how they got their facts so wrong... :(

Well another article claims it is 2.8 kms. It doesn't say anything about longest in Asia (although Zee says it is "longest of its kind" - which can mean so many things).

'Tunnel' boost for Himachal Pradesh tourism
http://www.dailyindia.com/show/49168.php/Tunnel_boost_for_Himachal_Pradesh_tourism

Holidaymakers now have another attraction to head towards the hill resort of Manali in Himachal Pradesh: a 2.8 km motor tunnel, one of the country's longest and most modern.

The tunnel has come up on the national highway 21 between Aut and Thalot in Mandi district, some 220 km from here, that is expected to further boost the tourism potential of the area, nestling in the foothills of the Himalayas.

'The 2,809-metre long and 7.6-metre wide tunnel will serve as a gateway to Manali. It has taken three years to build at a cost of Rs.403 million,' said Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh while inaugurating the project Sunday.

The need for the tunnel was felt due to the building of the Larji hydel project where a stretch of the road had to be broken.

The Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEB) took up the task of building the tunnel so that the huge volume of traffic, largely that of tourists heading for Manali, is not disrupted.

The Continental company, a private construction firm, built the tunnel for the state government under the supervision of the HPSEB.

'The tunnel is 5.8 metres high and well lit throughout. There is a pedestrian path on both sides of the tunnel. After every kilometre there is an emergency parking zone,' said Arun Sharma, a senior official.

At four spots there are giant ventilators. The tunnel will be an added attraction to holidaymakers thronging Manali round the year and the adjoining scenic Kullu valley.

Copyright Indo-Asian News Service

Suncity

August 9th, 2006, 03:28 PM

And yet another article claims that it is the "largest" tunnel in Asia. It uses the word "longest" in the first para though.

Maybe it is the longest or biggest horse shoe tunnel?

:sleepy:

Asia's largest traffic tunnel opens in Mandi

http://www.newkerala.com/news4.php?action=fullnews&id=3375

Asia 's longest traffic tunnel built on the Manali-Kirtpur Highway was inaugurated by Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Vir Bhadra Singh on Sunday.

"The tunnel was constructed in three years. This is Asia's largest tunnel. It has the diameter of 10.5 metre with 7.5 metre wide pavement having a sidewalk of 4.5 metre width," said S S Thakur, an executive engineer.

BTW it looks like the first phase was 790 kms as mentioned by Ferrari_Fan.

Tunnel set to open despite defects
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20060806/himachal.htm

Though all is set for Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, to inaugurate the 2,809 metre-long double lane tunnel near Aut on the Ambala-Manali National Highway 21 tomorrow, technical drawbacks and engineering defects of improper ventilation were never taken into consideration despite the fact that the matter was taken up at various levels.

The exhaust release of vehicles and dust particles raised caused many serious medical problems to users during the past six years. The problem of suffocation in the first phase which was only 797 metres was pointed out in the District Grievances Committee meetings and the HPSEB had been advised to provide required ventilation.

p2p4

August 10th, 2006, 08:29 AM

Can we have some details compiled on this site (which could be beneficial to everyone) such as which MOUNTAIN tunnel is :-

1) Largest (in terms of height & width)
2) Longest
3) Most traffic lanes
4) Throughput

I would like to celebrate the 10.5 meter figure but the mathematics don't quite sum up :-

QUOTE - "The tunnel was constructed in three years. This is Asia's largest tunnel. It has the diameter of 10.5 metre with 7.5 metre wide pavement having a sidewalk of 4.5 metre width," said S S Thakur, an executive engineer - UNQUOTE

Am I missing something between the lines? :bash:

enemyofthebabus

August 10th, 2006, 08:43 AM

HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA, man our babus, what can u say, just gotta love em :).

PlaneMad

August 10th, 2006, 06:05 PM

Even if it was the longest in Southwest Asia, its puny compared to world standards.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World's_longest_tunnels

raokiranj

August 11th, 2006, 10:30 AM

Hi guyz,

I have compiled a Nelmangla-Haveri chart with distances and approx time. Shall extend it to Pune sometime later. I have left out Bangalore-Nelmangla stretch because depending on the time of the day, it could take anywhere between 45 mins to 2 hours :)

Also, the Approx time mentioned is what the average driver would hope to achieve (actually what I would hope in our Maurti 800 :D). I know there are people who have covered these stretches in less than two-thirds of the time mentioned here (in Scorpios and Corrollas).

Section Dist 4-Laned Time(mins) Target
=================================================================================
Bangalore-Nelmangla 35 FULL
Nelmangla-Tumkur 33 FULL 40-50
Tumkur By-Pass 13 1km 20-30 Sept 2006
Tumkur-Sira 41 FULL 45-55
Sira By-Pass 6 FULL 5-10
Sira-Chitradurga 67 60 70-80 Sept 2006
Chitradurga By-Pass 18 TERMINATED 30-40
Chitradurga-Harihar 77 62 80-90 Dec 2006
Harihar-Haveri 56 43 60-70 Dec 2006
==================================================================================
Nelmangla-Haveri 311 246 6-7 hrs

Total dist = 311
Completed = 246
Sep 06 = 19
Dec 06 = 28
TERMINATED = 18

raokiranj

August 11th, 2006, 10:32 AM

Sorry.. the "columns" dint come out as expected.. but you get the idea :)

indian soul

August 14th, 2006, 11:52 PM

IndiansUnite

August 15th, 2006, 02:44 AM

Ranchi ring road to ease snarls

PM News Bureau

Construction of a ring road in Ranchi, Jharkhand, is set to take off soon after the monsoon. The ring road is expected to ease traffic snarls in the city.
The Jharkhand government will also take up road construction work connecting the outskirts of Ranchi i.e. Kathi Tand (near Ratu on Ranchi-Daltonganj highway) and Karma (on Ranchi-Ramgarh road). This will help reduce heavy traffic on both the streets, as buses and trucks plying on Ranchi-Daltonganj, Ranchi-Gumla and Ranchi-Ramgarh routes will not enter the city.
The 23-km stretch of the ring road will pass through Kanke. The government will spend Rs 135 crore on the project. Tenders for the project have been invited and technical bids will be opened shortly.

http://projectsmonitor.com/detailnews.asp?newsid=11894&secid=41

-==--==-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Four laning of national highways in North-East

PM News Bureau

Agartala, Aizawal, Imphal, Itanagar, Kohima and Shillong are proposed to be linked to four lane National Highways under NHDP Phase III-B and Special Accelerated Road Development Programme - North-East (SARDP-NE), Union Minister of State for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways K.H. Muniyappa informed the Lok Sabha recently.
Guwahati in Assam falls on the alignment of East-West Corridor which is already under construction to four lane standards. Gangtok in Sikkim is proposed to be linked through an improved two-lane National Highway under SARDP-NE.
Since the DPRs for projects under NHDP Phase III-B and SARDP-NE are under preparation, no investment decision has so far been taken by the government, except in the case of connectivity to Shillong and part-connectivity to Kohima.
The four lane connecting to Aizawal, Imphal, Itanagar, Kohima and Shillong is to be implemented on BOT basis. The preparation of DPRs and appointment of consultants are in progress.
http://projectsmonitor.com/detailnews.asp?newsid=11892&secid=41

Naga_Solidus

August 15th, 2006, 05:24 AM

Will the new Ranchi Ring Road be grade seperated or not?

IndiansUnite

August 15th, 2006, 05:28 AM

considering that Ranchi is a small city,i would hint the rr will not be grade seperated..

jacques

August 15th, 2006, 06:53 AM

Hi Everybody!
I am new to this forum. I have been going through this site for a long time and have found it incredibly informative regarding developments in India. Few things that I would like point out:
1. It's great to see new Indian roads, but I am not sure they can compete with international highways and expressways,
2. It is time that the govt. and the educated public give serious thoughts to road rules, attitude and safety. There are national draft safety and transportation policies. Has any progress been made?
3. These policies mention about public education in road rules and safety, what has been done? I suggest compulsory chapters or papers be introduced in classes and very strictly all road rules to be followed in Indian roads (May be pilot project carried out in cities)
4. I recognize improvement in roads and highways happen simultaneously with developments in other fronts (e.g. addressing issues of rickshawallas)
5. But, just building Golden Quadrilateral will not make India 'feel good' or 'india shinning'.
6. In developed countries, road rules are followed RELIGIOUSLY, I am wondering when we will start doing this. There is a 'chalta hai' attitude which permeates all aspects. n We need to address this.
Otherwise, whatever we say Indian roads can not match all the aspects of road and highways of developed countries.
ANY COMMENT? :gaah:

One problem is that the Indian authorities are nearsighted and don't care about international standards. Hence they build substandard roads and infrastructure and try to pass it off to the public, most of whom will gladly accept it because they didn't have anything before it. There is also problem of being short of cash as India is a poor country so they can't necessarily afford to build the best stuff.

But some Indian authorities like Laloo prasad Yadav of Indian Railways has actually tried to go overseas and see what they have and is trying to bring the best to India. We will see how successful he is.

The problem with chaos on the roads is due to poor training and poor law enforcement as you have stated. But on some level it is also a problem of attitude. You can't fix those problems overnight as attitude changes take time, especially given the Indian psyche. For example, most people in India know that you shouldn't throw your trash anywhere you want, but they litter anyway. Trash is everywhere and then they have the nerve to complain that the government doesn't to anything to keep the cities clean.

Yeh hai India!

p2p4

August 15th, 2006, 06:59 AM

Welcome to the forum Indian soul.

that I would like point out:
1. It's great to see new Indian roads, but I am not sure they can compete with international highways and expressways,
- in the strictest sense of international, yes we can compete with Pakistan / Sri Lanka / Bangladesh (pun intended) but i think if we compare ourselves to the roads of the developed world, we are still lacking. I have mentioned before that roadways of such scale (as being built in India) are relatively a new concept and given that there is always a learning curve, we are sure to do better in years to come.

2. It is time that the govt. and the educated public give serious thoughts to road rules, attitude and safety. There are national draft safety and transportation policies. Has any progress been made?
- The only way this can be done is first , by institutionalising private automobile driving institutes. There is no big driving school in India like the one you see in HK (Hong Kong Motoring School for example). A centralised institute with branches all over India can help give strict driving lessons to new drivers or refreshers.

The govt too can (if it wants) shorten license duration to 4 or 5 years instead of the current 10 years. With short duration licenses, drivers will be forced to take refresher courses through a centralised institute.

The third point is that there are too many "mom & pop & brother and sister " driving schools with virtually no regulatory uniformity of driving skills. Even a Bihari bhaiiyya can earn a drivers license and then cut corners, earn a driving instructers license and make merry after that. Such small scale driving schools should be made to come to a centralised or a recognised private driving institute where rules & regulations are enforced from day one of class.

I believe effective advertisements on TV / print media / billboards can help drive a message for safe driving in India. Just the way Amitabh Bacchan did it for polio vaccinations in India (as early as 2002), he or other film personalities can do the same for improved driving in India. (Alas, such big personalities give 2 hoots to betterment of India so they prefer earning millions thru entertainment than lending some time to public messages)

ROAD TRAFFIC ORDINANCE personnel who issue licenses to new / refresher drivers themselves need to be taught a few lessons on how NOT to cut corners for new applicants. They are one of the most corrupt khadi-clad officials and an extra 500 or a 1000 can bail you out of a 'Fail' to a "pass"

3. These policies mention about public education in road rules and safety, what has been done? I suggest compulsory chapters or papers be introduced in classes and very strictly all road rules to be followed in Indian roads (May be pilot project carried out in cities)
- point covered above

4 But, just building Golden Quadrilateral will not make India 'feel good' or 'india shinning'.
- allow me to elaborate on this point. Let me cite the MUMBAI PUNE EXPRESSWAY example. You will see lane discipline followed throughout the journey from pt a - b on this section. Reason is, there are LANES which are maintained and painted afresh every 6 months. There are surveilance cameras. There are speed radars. Drivers are made aware of these factors every mile or so on automated arrays. Lane discipline and driver discipline automatically comes to the fore without issuing a ticket. In fact, driving on such closely monitored and spruced up expressways DOES make you feel good looking at the improved discipline. (However, it ends once you reach Mumbai town or Pune town where all hell breaks loose). The only way I can explain this strange discipline phenomena on Mum-Pune XPway is that - give drivers a better atmosphere, infrasctructure, incentive to drive on, they will be at ease. Give them a potholed war-ravaged-like road and they will try to cut corners and a chaos ensues.

6. In developed countries, road rules are followed RELIGIOUSLY, I am wondering when we will start doing this. There is a 'chalta hai' attitude which permeates all aspects. n We need to address this.
- I believe with improved roadways (expressways) with close monitoring and better roadway 'furniture' i.e signs / alerts / lane markings etc, these things will improve. As I said before, road engineers to road users (drivers) are going through a learning curve in India .. given some time ..say 5-10 years, driving culture will change - hopeuflly.
-

sammyk

August 15th, 2006, 07:23 AM

I simply don't understand why there should be a learning curve to building roads. This is not an emerging technology nor is it a sensitive technology. Why can't engineering and construction firms learn from developed countries how to build a good long lasting road? No need to waste time and effort reinventing the wheel. This is 2006.

As for lane discipline, and painting lines. Why not use raised reflectors? That way if the paint fades the reflector will tell the driver where the lane is and it would be great for night driving as well. This may cut down on constant lane changing as drivers may not want to drive over these reflectors in an effort to preserve the life of their tires. (After all, this is the land where headlights are turned off at every chance, right? :D ) I guess they can cut back on thinning the paint to the bare minimum to have the lines last longer too.

Babji

August 15th, 2006, 11:41 PM

Longer road stretches to lure foreign players

K P Narayana Kumar & Siddharth Zarabi / New Delhi August 16, 2006
Business Standard

In a bid to woo global biggies to participate in the development of Indian highways, the government is considering a proposal to award much longer stretches of roads for construction under the National Highway Development Programme (NHDP).

While the present practice is to limit a road contract to under 100 km, the proposal seeks to offer stretches between 300 and 500 km in length in the future. This, it is hoped, will attract the likes of Leighton, Bechtel, Skanska, Fluor Engineering, and large international investors like Rothschild and Getty Family Trust to the country’s road sector.

India’s highway development programme has till now been largely dominated by domestic companies like DS Constructions, Soma, L&T, Essar, and GMR.
The cost per km of constructing a highway in India is in the range of Rs 4-6 crore. Most stretches of roads awarded so far are about 60 km long, with the project cost working out to less than Rs 360 crore (around $78 million).

In comparison, the project cost of a 300-500 km stretch will work out to between Rs 1,800 crore and Rs 3,000 crore (assuming a cost of Rs 6 crore per km), or over $650 million, at the higher end.

“If the ministry was to increase the length of the stretches, it would be a welcome change,” said Ankineedu Maganti, director, Soma Enterprises Ltd. This would result in more companies being interested in taking up maintenance and upgrade work as part of the contract, he said.

“As of now — on 50-km stretches — it is not viable to also undertake maintenance work,” he said.

indian soul

August 16th, 2006, 12:14 AM

Hi Jacques, p2p4 and sammyk,
Thank you all very much (especially p2p4) for responding to the queries and contributing to a lively discussion.
I hope these criticisms are viewed constructive. I suppose you realise how much you love your own country when you are away from her (this is in fact true for anything, you don't realise as long as it is there, but it's absence). Anyway
1. These expressways are comparable, may be with those of Bangladesh, but do we mean 'international' for these contries or for Singapore, HK or the states? :ohno:
2. I am yet to experience the Mumbai-Pune expressway, but if p2p4 is correct about the different attitudes of drivers in this part of the national highway, one would wonder what are the factors that make such a difference? Certainly one could be fear of being prosecuted as p2p4 rightly pointed out and the other could be 'right environment',
3. But then what prevents the Govt (or to be more correct public/private partnership) to translate THIS to other parts of the NHDP (national programme) or to cities (costs aside)? Any thought??
4.p2p4 mentioned about 'driving institutions' in countries like HK, I cite the example of the DSA (Driving Standards Agency) of the UK, which deals with setting standards of driving and conducts various private and commercial tests of driving. There could be an agency like this in India, I presume.
5. We all know how easy (or difficult) to obtain a license in India. Computerisation of driving test system has helped to some extent, but there is total lack of motivation and will for the 'Babus' to address the issue of raising standard and remove corruption
6. To give a snapshot idea or ethnographic example, one ubiquitious phenomenon in Delhi (most probably in other small and big cities as well) is how traffic police stop vehicles for challan/violating traffic rule, but would accept anything less than the official amount for their pocket. This also happens in highways. Posting in some vulnerable areas in fact considered lucky for them (unless this happens through some other means). For few I think this is a mean of recovering the investment while they get their posts.
6. Similarly encroachment is an issue in some instances, particularly the older parts of established highways, which pass through cities. I don't know how the Govt. is going to address this.
7. Again, I think change will come when other related issues are tackled, but I hope this sector can have some vertical growth and improvement.
Thanking you all once again.
p.s. I am planning to post some high resolution photos of new indian roads when I go to India next. Sorry to forgot to tell that I am not impressed with quality of web sites of the NHAI and transport ministry. Cheers- :nono:

indian soul

August 16th, 2006, 12:27 AM

Thanks Babji for this piece of information

p2p4

August 16th, 2006, 04:57 AM

HI Sammyk
I am replying to your post :

[QUOTE=sammyk]I simply don't understand why there should be a learning curve to building roads. This is not an emerging technology nor is it a sensitive technology. Why can't engineering and construction firms learn from developed countries how to build a good long lasting road? No need to waste time and effort reinventing the wheel. This is 2006.
- The wheel is not being reinvented. It is being re-engineered or better still, re-designed to fit into the Indian driving context. My point about 'learning curve' pertains to the fact that roadways all over the world are not built by a group of highly educated engineers / planners alone. Under them there is a huge plethora of menial laborers like masoners, sweepers, dump-drivers, flat-rollers, kerb carvers, fitters, garderners (to take care of any botanical maintenance on the dividers as u see in China) etc etc etc. The engineers in India have much more worldly understanding of building roads to world-class standards but to translate EXCELLENCE to your local contractor, needs a host of factors and one of them is an openminded approach that should percolate to the last fitter. To come to the point, the learning curve is mentioned in the context of the entire vertical grouping i.e engineers to the maintenance crew. Each and everyone of them need to run like an engine functioning on multiple pistons. Hope you get my point.

As for lane discipline, and painting lines. Why not use raised reflectors? That way if the paint fades the reflector will tell the driver where the lane is and it would be great for night driving as well.
- Here comes cost effectiveness. I do not know the total landed cost of ONE piece of cat-eye reflector in India but I am sure it is imported from countries like UK/China. Besides, we need to study the cost of A) painting lanes per kilometer - against - B) Installing cat-eye reflectors per kilometer. As of now I do not have information to this but I am sure some other forumers could get this info across to us.
- The other option is to use reflective lane tapes. These are heavy duty (real thick) tapes that are currently manufactured in huge qttys in China and exported all over the world. Most developed countries have been using these tapes. They are as simple as 'cutting - n - pasting' Again, it all boils down to costs and there is a very big tendency with our babus to think big on road expenditure but think small on requirements of road-furniture.

This may cut down on constant lane changing as drivers may not want to drive over these reflectors in an effort to preserve the life of their tires. (After all, this is the land where headlights are turned off at every chance, right? :D )
- Sammyk - you are right but let me elaborate further. For such reflectors, you need real heavy duty (higher and thicker) types that are currently installed in a city like DAR ES SALAM. Yes, if these h.duty reflectors if used in India will surely cut down juvenile lane changing. However, let me state that no matter what kind of reflective apparatus you use, you need to keep your headlights on. Unless of course you go for the chip-battery operated cat-eyes developed in the UK which emit light through vibrations on the road... and again, these are damn expensive and not currently affordable by Indian road industry.

Thanks again for discussion and we hope all of us on this forum can learn from our experiences / comments / suggestions.

ramkan

August 16th, 2006, 05:11 AM

I remember once how hyderabad police installed chains along the lane dividers at 1 feet height to discipline vehicle users to stick to dedicated lanes (two wheelers, three wheelers, four wheelers etc).

After the initial enforcement, the police did not follow up and the public are back to their old ways.

Suncity

August 16th, 2006, 06:01 AM

What is the reason that some forumers seem to think that the new roads are of poor quality? I also noted some forumers saying that lanes are being added later on (lack of planning). Is it hearsay or is it from experience?

I have travelled on two stretches of GQ and I thought that the quality was pretty good. Also the GQ will have all stretches as four laned and the high traffic routes as six laned.

What I though worry about is the maintenance part. That is an unexplored territory in India as we tend to fill it, shut it and forget it.

enemyofthebabus

August 16th, 2006, 07:42 AM

- The wheel is not being reinvented. It is being re-engineered or better still, re-designed to fit into the Indian driving context. My point about 'learning curve' pertains to the fact that roadways all over the world are not built by a group of highly educated engineers / planners alone. Under them there is a huge plethora of menial laborers like masoners, sweepers, dump-drivers, flat-rollers, kerb carvers, fitters, garderners (to take care of any botanical maintenance on the dividers as u see in China) etc etc etc. The engineers in India have much more worldly understanding of building roads to world-class standards but to translate EXCELLENCE to your local contractor, needs a host of factors and one of them is an openminded approach that should percolate to the last fitter. To come to the point, the learning curve is mentioned in the context of the entire vertical grouping i.e engineers to the maintenance crew. Each and everyone of them need to run like an engine functioning on multiple pistons. Hope you get my point.

I could not disagree more. I don't think we should sell our engineers short. The idea that every person working on the Road network here in the US has an "open minded" approach is a falacy. They do what they are told to do, that is all. At the end of the day the engineers AND THE GOVERNMENT inspect and either accept/reject the work. We are undercutting ourselves, we HAVE THE MONEY, trust me a three quartes of a trillion dollar a year economy can afford $20 billion dollars in roads, we just lack the foresight. But we still are building a 3 lane road and marking it as four lanes, because our politicians and planners lack foresight. Because the attitude of our politicians is, if they want 4 lane roads, my cost is one lane, so one lane goes in the bureaucracies pocket and we get 3 lanes. I agree totally with the fact that we have sub standard roads, the planning of the highways lack foresight, and someone who made the argument that Mumbai Pune expressway forces people to drive better because of a better atmosphere is halucinating. It is an access controlled highway, so basically all the "idiots" who cause havoc on our roads, take the cheap way and use the other stretch. Still has anyone been in a traffic jam on the expressway, emergency vehicles can't get through because of our absolute bullshit. And you the irony of that fucked up situation - the guy driving in the Emergency lane was a doctor in a Mercedes (man...still makes me mad).

- Here comes cost effectiveness. I do not know the total landed cost of ONE piece of cat-eye reflector in India but I am sure it is imported from countries like UK/China. Besides, we need to study the cost of A) painting lanes per kilometer - against - B) Installing cat-eye reflectors per kilometer. As of now I do not have information to this but I am sure some other forumers could get this info across to us.
- The other option is to use reflective lane tapes. These are heavy duty (real thick) tapes that are currently manufactured in huge qttys in China and exported all over the world. Most developed countries have been using these tapes. They are as simple as 'cutting - n - pasting' Again, it all boils down to costs and there is a very big tendency with our babus to think big on road expenditure but think small on requirements of road-furniture.

- Sammyk - you are right but let me elaborate further. For such reflectors, you need real heavy duty (higher and thicker) types that are currently installed in a city like DAR ES SALAM. Yes, if these h.duty reflectors if used in India will surely cut down juvenile lane changing. However, let me state that no matter what kind of reflective apparatus you use, you need to keep your headlights on. Unless of course you go for the chip-battery operated cat-eyes developed in the UK which emit light through vibrations on the road... and again, these are damn expensive and not currently affordable by Indian road industry.

It really does not matter what they use, as long as they maintain it. But there are 2 sides to the coin. Someone said something about the cops making a quick buck, damn right they will. The honor of working for the Indian police is non existent. Also, if I were being paid 5000 bucks a month, I would be doing the same. Instill confidence in the policemen. Pay them well, give them a percentage of the fines accrued by them, while limiting the number of tickets they can hand out. Give them the tools they need to do their job, cuz Indian citizens work on "Sub kuch chalta hai" attitude, it is the good law abiding citizens of India, through the police who need to take these ppl to task. No License, walking on the road when there is a huge foot path, drink driving, aggressive driving, all needs to be tackled with a firm hand. Remember drastic times call for drastic measures.

[/QUOTE]