More roads With NHAI toll collection

BANGALORE: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh assured the completion of constructing 20 km of highway everyday, but due to backlogs, the same may be realised by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) after a three-year delay.Clarifying that the NHAI had completed constructing about 1,400 km of the awarded 2,500 km of highways in 2011, chief general manager (financial advisory) of the NHAI Suresh Kumar said that various hurdles were responsible for the delay. “In three years, the authority will be able to deliver on the PM’s assurance,” he said.“We will channelise revenue from toll collection to infrastructure,” added Additional Secretary and Financial Advisor to NHAI Vijay Chibber.Officials informed that they earned over Rs 2,600 crore last year in toll collection alone, which they expect to increase to Rs 3,000 crore this year.“All revenue will be channelised into building more roads,” he said and added that this would help in setting up of emergency services on highways.Suresh Kumar said that they planned to set up a centralised call centre which would be able to assist emergency calls made from the highways. He said that this would also include a specific number of ambulances and other medical centres.He explained that bids for the same had already been invited and the process should be completed at the earliest. All private firms involved in road construction would be asked to hire reputed safety consultants, Suresh added.“We have called for international tenders for design safety,” he said and added that this would include reflectors, and barricades.Suresh added that the authority was also contemplating the decentralisation of decision making by setting up 11 regional centres across the country.