CCI approves road construction projects in Arunachal Pradesh

New Delhi, Mar 4 (ANI): The Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure (CCI) on Thursday accorded administrative approval to undertake the project for construction of bridges across Dibang river system in Arunachal Pradesh.

The bridge connects road between Bomjur-Meka on the National Highway 52 covering a length of 18.950 Kilometre and construction of bridge across river Lohit at Alubari Ghat and connecting road between Chowkham-Digaru covering a length of 12 Kilometre in Arunachal Pradesh at an estimated cost of Rs.725.67 crore under the Build Operate Transfer (BOT) basis.

The CCI also gave its approval to award the project on Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) basis following the annuity model approved by Cabinet for four roads of Arunachal Pradesh Package of roads and highways under SARDP-NE with total concession period of 17 years and to make twenty five semi-annual annuity payments on the basis of accepted bid to the concessionaire during twelve-and-a-half years after successful completion of the road and to incur expenditure on the project in question out of the budget allocations for SARDP-NE.

The project road will provide all whether connectivity between Bomjur and Meka section of National Highway-52 of Arunachal Pradesh. The road would also greatly facilitate the security and defence agencies to combat anti-national activities and threat in the border areas.

The project in question is one of the four projects approved 'in principle' by the Cabinet in its meeting held in January 2009 as part of the Arunachal Pradesh Package of roads and highways.

The CCI also accorded administrative approval for changes made in the bid conditions, viz. increase in construction period from three and half years to four and half years, provision of mobilization advance, relaxation in time period for financial close and inclusion of escalation and interest during construction in project cost as per the norms of BOT Project and flexible milestones for the widening of existing road to two lane National Highway standards from Nechipu to Hoj on BOT basis under the Arunachal Pradesh Package of Roads and Highways.

The 311 Km long Nechipu to Hoj Section of NH-229 is a part of Trans Arunachal Highway.

Approval was also granted to award the project on Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) basis with increased total concession period from 16 years to 17 years; to make twenty five semi-annual annuity payments on the basis of accepted bid and to incur expenditure on the project out of the budget allocations for SARDP-NE.

The total project cost is estimated at Rs.1389 crore under the BOT basis.

The project road will improve the connectivity of various districts of Arunachal Pradesh with Itanagar and foster socio-economic development of the whole of the State.

The Cabinet had approved widening of the road from Nechipu- Hoj to two-lane standard in July, 2009. This is one of the four projects approved 'in principle' by the Cabinet in January, 2009 as part of the Arunachal Pradesh Package of roads and highways. (ANI)