Lok Sabha Question No. 269 (STARRED), answered on 2019-07-11
Subject: Projects under Char Dham Programme
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Sakshi Ji Swami Maharaj, Bhola Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 269

ANSWERED ON 11 TH JULY, 2019

## PROJECTS UNDER CHAR DHAM PROGRAMME

## *269. DR. SWAMI SAKSHIJI MAHARAJ: SHRI BHOLA SINGH:

## Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री

be pleased to state:

- (a) the present status of the all weather road construction projects under the Char Dham Programme;
- (b) the quantum of funds spent so far and likely to be spent on these projects  during the current year as well as in future;
- (c) whether the Government proposes to link the religious places located in Uttarakhand and other  hilly  States  also  with  all  weather  roads,  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  estimated expenditure likely to be incurred thereon;
- (d) the steps taken by the Government to safeguard the projects under the said programme from natural calamity; and
- (e) whether  any  mechanism has been set up to  monitor the quality  of  work  under  these projects and if so, the details thereof along with the targeted dates for completion of the said projects?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS ( SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI )

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

STATEMENT REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF  LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 269 FOR ANSWER ON 11.07.2019 ASKED BY DR. SWAMI SAKSHIJI  MAHARAJ  AND  SHRI  BHOLA  SINGH  REGARDING  PROJECTS  UNDER CHAR DHAM PROGRAMME

- (a) Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRT&H) have taken up improvement and widening of 889 km of National Highways under Char Dham Programme at a total cost of Rs. 11,700 crores. This 889km NHs covering the entire length under Chardham program have been divided into 53 nos of Civil construction packages. Out of these 53 packages, civil works in 40 packages amounting to Rs . 9474 crore ( including cost of pre -construction activities amounting to Rs . 491 crore ) in 673 km length have already been sanctioned . Out of these sanctioned 40 packages, civil works contract in 34 packages amounting to Rs . 7923 crore for 604 km length have already been awarded, and works in 30 packages amounting to Rs . 7679 crore for 589 km length are ongoing and works in 2 packages amounting to Rs . 141 crore for the length of 1 . 1 km have been completed . In the remaining 2 packages amounting to Rs. 103 crore for 14.12 km length,  the  civil  works  construction  is  yet  to  start  as  declaration  of  appointed  date  is  under process . The remaining 6 sanctioned packages amounting to Rs . 1060 crore for the length of 69 km are under tender . Of the balance 13 packages yet to be sanctioned, Detailed Project Reports (DPR) have been finalized in 5 packages and DPR for another 5 packages for the stretch from Gangotri to Dharasu ( Bhagirathi Eco -Sensitive Zone ) will be finalized after receipt of approval of Masterplan from Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) . In the remaining 3 packages, DPR is under preparation .
- (b) Expenditure of Rs . 2500 crores have been incurred on the Chardham program till date . Around Rs . 2800 Crores is likely to be spent on the projects in the current Financial Year . Total updated estimated cost of the Char Dham programme is Rs . 12,100 crores .
- (c) MoRT&H  is  primarily  responsible  for  deveIopment  and  maintenance  of  National Highways in the country. In Uttarakhand, linking of religious places with all -weather roads have already been included under Char Dham programme . In Jammu & Kashmir, NH-501 connecting NH-1  with  Panchtarni,  Chandanwari,  Pahalgam,  Anantnag  has  been  notified  as  National Highways. Also in J&K, road connectivity to certain religious places have been taken up under CRF scheme . The list of such works sanctioned under CRF are at Annexure-I.
- (d) The projects under Char Dham programme include widening of existing roads along with adequate/sufficient slope protection by way of construction of retaining walls and breast walls and by providing drapery system, netting, anchoring, reinforced wall etc. as per Detailed Project Reports.  The  projects  also  include  mitigation  measures/  stabilisation  of  chronic  landslide  & sinking spots/zones as standalone project or part of road widening projects to avoid land slide and  safety  of  road  users.  Bio  engineering  methods  like  hydroseeding  are  being  used  for vegetative growth on fragile slopes for their stability. All these measures shall safeguard the highway and habitation against natural calamity.
- (e) The  works  under  Char  Dham  programme  are  being  implemented  on  Engineering, Procurement and Construction ( EPC ) mode of contract . These projects are being implemented by 3 executing agencies of Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, viz, Uttarakhand State PWD, Border Road Organization ( BRO ) and National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited ( NHIDCL ). For each project, a Supervision Consultant called Authority ' s Engineer comprising of a team of Key Experts has been appointed for day -to -day supervision and monitoring of the construction works, which includes monitoring of quality control of the

works as required under the contract agreement . This Supervision Consultant reports directly to the concerned executing agencies in respect of day to day progress and various other aspects of the  project . Regular  monitoring  of  progress  of  the  work  is  done  at  the  level  of  concerned executing agencies and also at Ministry ' s level . Further, under this EPC mode of contract, the contractor is directly responsible for ensuring quality of the work as well as rectification of any defect  and  maintenance  of  the  project  stretch  for  a  period  of  4  years  after  completion  of construction . The Char Dham Programme was initially targeted for completion by March, 2020. However, the schedule date of completion of the programme has been delayed mainly due to litigation related to forest and environment clearance in various courts of law . The section from Dharasu bend to Gangotri (94km) lies under Bhagirathi Eco -Sensitive Zone on which works can be taken up only after approval of Masterplan by MoEF&CC . Hence, the date of completion of the  programme  depends  on  the  final  outcome  of  the  ongoing  litigation  and  approval  of Masterplan for Bhagirathi Eco -Sensitive Zone .

## ANNEXURE-I

ANNEXURE REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (c)  OF  LOK  SABHA  STARRED QUESTION  NO.  269  FOR  ANSWER  ON  11 TH   JULY,  2019  ASKED  BY  DR.  SWAMI SAKHSHIJI  MAHARAJ  AND  SHRI  BHOLA  SINGH  REGARDING  PROJECTS  UNDER CHAR DHAM PROGRAMME.

List of works sanctioned under CRF connecting Religious places in Hilly states

|   Sl. No. | State            | Name of the road                                                                                                                           | District    |   Cost (Rs in crore) |
|-----------|------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------|----------------------|
|         1 | Jammu& Kashmir   | Improvement/upgradationof road from Chandak to Budha Amarnath                                                                              | Poonch      |                11.6  |
|         2 | Jammu& Kashmir   | Construction of road from Bamyal to Deva Mai temple via Holy Mandir including 45 mspan bridge over Holy Nallah                             | Jammu       |                15    |
|         3 | Himachal Pradesh | Widening &Strengtheniing of Bharwain- Chintpurni- Talwara road km. 0/0 to 32/500 (portion from Bharwain to pucca Tiala km. 0/0 to 15/310). | Chintpurni  |                16.15 |
|         4 | Himachal Pradesh | C/O 45.00 mtr Span D/L bridge over chanju Nallah on Chamba- Tissa road at km. 46/750                                                       | Churah      |                 5.1  |
|         5 | Himachal Pradesh | Widening &Strengtheniing of Chamba- Khajjar road km. 0/0 to 19/0.                                                                          | Churah      |                14.84 |
|         6 | Himachal Pradesh | Improvement &widening of Chamba- Tissa road km. 48/0 to 62/0.                                                                              | Churah      |                 6.56 |
|         7 | Himachal Pradesh | C/O 50.00 mtr Span PSC D/L bridge over Bhagan Khad- II on Dharamshala- Dadh- Palam pur- Saandhol road at Rd. 13/500.                       | Dharamshala |                 3.96 |
|         8 | Himachal Pradesh | C/O 55.00 mtr Span D/L bridge over Sal River on Chamba Sahoo Kiri road Rd. 3/870                                                           | Chamba      |                 6.31 |
|         9 | Himachal Pradesh | Improvement and widening of Chamba- Sahoo -Kiri road km. 0/0t o 21/0 (Portion sahoo to Kiri km. 16/0 21/0)                                 | Chamba      |                 2.02 |
|        10 | Himachal Pradesh | C/O 32.00 mtr span PSC D/L bridge over Khera Nalla on Awah Devi Tihra Gaddidhar Sandhole road at Rd. 18/870                                | Dharampur   |                 2.92 |

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