Page 58 - TT mag Oct-Nov -Digital

SMART MOBILITY 2018

except for a small part that could delaying projects at the very outset, of the road required clearance from
not be constructed in time due to and driving up costs. If the project the forest department. For two
local deterrents, the entire road is being executed under an EPC years, we did not get permission. By
was constructed. The overseeing contract, this causes huge losses for the time it finally came through and
government then refuses to provide the contractor as well. we could start work on that stretch,
a completion certificate to the Often, this refusal to hand over we had already finished constructing
agency, delaying payments and a site to the contractor is caused the major portion of the road.
having a domino effect on other by delays in paying compensation A single-window clearance system
projects as well. to the landowner. Governments is the need of the hour. A recent
Government bodies need need to plan for and facilitate decision to shift utilities such as
to monitor local conditions, these payments promptly, and local electricity cables, water pipes, and
acknowledge that a small section of bodies need to support the agency sewage lines on only one instead
the road could not be constructed in taking over the land. of both sides of the road has done
despite the agency’s best efforts, and Tenders should be floated after much to speed up the process of
de-link completion of this affected at least 90% of the land has been road construction.
stretch from the scope of completion. acquired, allowing the agency to Operational Challenges:

Land Acquisition: begin work with maximum possible
efficiency. Many parcels of land that are part
At present, tenders for highways of the road route are found to be
are supposed to be floated after Multiple Window encroached. Local units of political
80% of the land required has already Clearance: parties show up on the scene and
been acquired. In practice, this figure Various permissions are required prevent these encroachments from
is still being reached when agencies from different government bodies, being cleared. Since different parties
bid for the contract. Hence, when none of which coordinate with each are dominant at the national, state
the chosen agency reaches the site other. This delays road completion. and local level, this tug-of-war
to commence work, land-owners For example, we recently executed between parties leaves the contractor
refuse to provide access to the land, a project in which a certain stretch stranded.

58 October-November ’18 / TrafficInfraTech www.trafficinfratech-com-500653.hostingersite.com