NHAI, Panel tiff reaches Finmin
New Delhi, July 19: Objecting to the Planning Commission’s contention that the revised norms for bidding to build roads are restrictive, NHAI on Monday said that the new guidelines have evoked good response from companies.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) also said it will take up with the finance ministry and as to how the department of economic affairs could support some of the views of the plan panel.
“Contrary to the Planning Commission’s contention that stricter norms for highways projects would reduce competition and create restrictive environment, we have received overwhelming response from bidders,” a senior NHAI official said.
“In fact, the authority has received as many as 13 bids for the Rs 5,700-crore Kishangarh-Udaipur-Ahmedabad project, including from reputed national infrastructure companies as well as three foreign firms,” he said.
Asked about the reports that the finance ministry has endorsed the views of Mr Gajendra Haldea, advisor to deputy chairman, Planning Commission, Dr Montek Singh Ahluwalia, he said the authority would take up the matter with the finance ministry as one of its wings has sought NHAI’s opinion supporting Mr Haldea’s views.
“We are going to raise before the finance ministry the issue of how one of its wings can support some of the views of the plan panel when the decision was taken by the NHAI Board, which includes secretary of expenditure, finance ministry,” he said.
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