Four laning of Amravati-Chikhli, Chikhli-Fagne and Fagne-Gujarat/Maharashtra border section on national highway NH-6 in Maharashtra

No: --- Dated: Jun, 17 2015

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given its approval for development of the four laning of the 'Amravati-Chikhli, Chikhli-Fagne and Fagne-Gujarat/Maharashtra border' section of National Highway NH-6 in Maharashtra.  This is under the National Highways Development Project (NHDP) Phase IV in BOT (Toll) mode on Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (BOT/DBFOT) basis. The total project cost (TPC) estimated of the project for implementation under DBFOT pattern will be as follows:-

The project is covered in the region of Amravati-Chikhli-Fagne-Gujarat/ Maharashtra border in Maharashtra.

The main object of the project is to expedite the improvement of infrastructure in the state of Maharashtra and also in reducing the time and cost of travel for traffic, particularly heavy traffic, plying between Amravati-Chikhli-Fagne-Gujarat/ Maharashtra border section of National Highway NH-6 in Maharashtra. Development of this stretch will also help uplift the socio-economic condition of this region of the State. It will also increase employment potential for the local labourers for project activities.

Background:

Earlier, the Public Private Partnership Appraisal Committee (PPPAC) in its meeting held on 09.03.2012 approved the four laning of two proposals i.e. (i) Amravati-Jalgaon and (ii) Jalgaon-Gujarat/Maharashtra border section of NH-6 on DBFOT basis in BOT (Toll) mode. This was approved by the erstwhile Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure (CCI) in its meeting held on 23.03.2012. Both projects were awarded to M/s L&T Infrastructure at the quoted premium of Rs. 131.04 crore and Rs. 145.08 crore respectively. The Concessionaire had fulfilled majority of its conditions precedent, but NHAI could not procure 80 percent of land after 380 days of signing of the Concession Agreement. Due to increase in cost, the Concessionaire expressed inability to continue the projects. Accordingly, the projects were terminated on mutual consent with forfeiture of bids security equivalent to one percent of Total Project Cost (TPC). Subsequently, it was decided to implement both projects by converting them into three packages which are as follows:-

i.       Amravati-Chikhli                                   -           194 km

ii.      Chikhli-Fagne                                        -           150 km

iii.      Fagne-Gujarat/Maharashtra border       -           140 km

PPPAC in its  meeting held on 10.04.2015 then approved the four laning of these three packages section of NH-6 in Maharashtra under NHDP Phase IV on DBFOT basis in BOT (Toll) mode.