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National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has been asked to evolve a system to ensure increased patrolling on National Highways to deal with traffic congestions and other inconveniences to motorists, according to the Committee of Public Undertakings’ report on National Highways Authority of India.
Taking note of the growing security concerns on highways, the committee recommended that NHAI consider creating a Highway Security Force similar to the Railway Protection Force for safeguarding the huge network of national highways.
Targets missedNational highways had a target to award 10,000 km and construct 8000 km. However, during fiscal 2016-17, less than half the target (4,336 km) was awarded and a little over 32 per cent (2,628 km) was constructed.
The data provided by NHAI also shows a drop in private sector funding to ₹14,900 crore in fiscal 2016-17 against almost ₹27,400 crore previous fiscal. Meanwhile, the public sector expenditure has increased, touching ₹51,941 crore in fiscal 2017 against ₹42,727 crore the previous fiscal.
Money unspentThe committee has also raised questions on the amount raised from market by NHAI and left unspent during the last five years, which left a high opening balance at the beginning of the year.
The opening balances were ₹11,002 crore (FY 2013), ₹7,730 crore (2014), ₹8,869 crore (2015) and ₹2,672 crore (2016) and ₹6,740 crore (2017).
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