Lok Sabha Question No. 169 (STARRED), answered on 2022-07-28
Subject: Upgradation of State Highways
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Prajwal Revanna

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 169 ANSWERED ON 28 TH  JULY, 2022

## UPGRADATION OF STATE HIGHWAYS

- *169.   SHRI PRAJWAL REVANNA:

Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री

be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  grant  in-principle  approval  to upgrade  State  Highway  (SH)  connecting  Channarayapatna  in  Hassan district with Makutta on Karnataka-Kerala border into National Highway (NH);
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the time by which it is likely to be approved and the funds allocated/ sanctioned for the purpose;
- (c)  the  present status of work on Hassan-Sakleshpura stretch of NH-75 which is pending for many years along with the reasons for such a long pendency;
- (d) the funds allocated, released and utilised on the said stretch;
- (e) whether the Government has blacklisted the concerned contractor for non-completion of work on the said stretch and if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) the steps taken by the Government to complete the said project within the stipulated time period?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)

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

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (f) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 169 FOR ANSWER ON 28/07/2022 ASKED BY SHRI PRAJWAL REVANNA REGARDING UPGRADATION OF STATE HIGHWAYS.

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(a)&(b) The State Highway connecting Channarayapatna in Hassan district with  Makutta  on  Karnataka-Kerala  border  is  a  State  Government  Road. Ministry keeps on receiving proposals for declaration of State Roads as National Highways from different States and Union Territories including from the State of Karnataka.  Ministry considers some of these proposals for  declaration as National Highways depending on the requirements of connectivity, traffic levels, inter-se priority and availability of resources.  During the last three years and the current year, 2 Green Field Alignments with lengths of 77 km and 177 km respectively falling in the State of Karnataka have been declared as NE-7 and NH-150C respectively.

(c)  4 laning of Hassan to Sakleshpur stretch of NH-75 in a length of 35 km has been taken up by NHAI as part of Hassan to Maranhally section of NH75. Out of this, 24.39 km has already been completed. Physical progress of the Hassan -Maranhally 4 laning work is 48% and the project is likely to be completed by 17-03-2023. Due to insolvency of the original contractor, a new contractor was appointed and the work is in progress. Apart from this, delay  in  quarry  /  mining  permissions,  COVID  pandemic,  short  working season due to prolonged rains  in  ghat  sections  also  contributed  to  the delay in this work.

## (d)  The funds allocated / released and utilized on the said stretch are as below

(Rupees in crore)

| Year    |   Funds allocated / released | Funds utilized   |
|---------|------------------------------|------------------|
| 2017-18 |                        21.98 | 21.98            |
| 2018-19 |                         7    | 7.0o             |
| 2019-20 |                        41.32 | 41.32            |

| 2020-21   |   61.75 |   61.75 |
|-----------|---------|---------|
| 2021-22   |   86.03 |   86.03 |
| 2022-23   |   28.7  |   28.7  |
| TOTAL :   |  246.78 |  246.78 |

(e)  The  main  contractor,  M/s.  Isolux  Corsan  Engg.  Pvt.  Ltd.  has  been declared insolvent. Hence, the question of blacklisting the contractor does not arise.

(f) Required permissions have been obtained with appropriate interventions and the work is being monitored regularly at various levels including  reviews  by  Chief  Secretary  to  Government  of  Karnataka, Chairperson (NHAI) and Secretary (RTH) from time to time to complete the work within the extended time.

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