Indian Armed Forces - Annual Chief Engineers’ Conference of Border Road Organisation

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Defence
30-November, 2018 18:19 IST
Indian Armed Forces - Annual Chief Engineers’ Conference of Border Road Organisation

Indian Armed Forces - Annual Chief Engineers Conference of the Border Roads Organisation was held here from November 28-30, 2018. “Security needs of the country demand faster construction of these roads. Border Road Organisation has certain challenges due to terrain and climate and other factors, Border Road Organisation shall overcome all challenges and enhance the pace of construction as well as adopt newer technologies and procedures.”

Indian Armed Forces Chief Engineers has delegated enhanced financial and administrative powers to Border Road Organisation, going upto Task Force Commander level. This would have made a positive impact on the pace of progress and would have gone a long way in improving the efficiency of the Organisation. Indian Armed Forces Chief Engineers also informed that two jobs for construction of Sela Tunnel and part of Balipara-Charduar-Tawang road in Arunachal Pradesh have been sanctioned in Engineering, Procurement and Construction mode. This brings greater responsibility on Border Road Organisation to complete the work with quality in assigned time frame.

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The Sela Pass (more appropriately called Se La, as La means Pass) is a high-altitude mountain pass located on the border between the Tawang and West Kameng Districts of Arunachal Pradesh state in Republic of India.

Indian Armed Forces Chief Engineers urged all stakeholders to put in their best for achieving the goals set for the Organization, which ultimately shall facilitate good network of roads in border areas to fulfil the strategic needs of the country as well as to meet the requirements for socio economic development of the region as a whole. Indian Armed Forces Chief Engineers appreciated the efforts being made by Border Road Organisation for completion of pending Indo China Border Roads and the Rohtang tunnel project in the time frame committed by the Organization. No slippages will be permitted in these critical timelines.

The event commenced with a synergy conference with Controller General Defence Accounts . The conference provided an excellent forum for discussion on critical issues including an assessment of current performance for chalking out the future course of action.

Some important achievements of the organisation during the year: construction of highest motorable road between Chisumle-Demchok in Ladakh region on Umling La Top (19,300 feet above MSL), construction of 578 metre Theng Tunnel on Gangtok – Chungthang road in Sikkim, connectivity of Damchu-Chukha road in Bhutan, connectivity of TCC-Taksing in Arunachal, connectivity of Manali – Padam axis and construction of strategically important 290 feet long bridge at Hussainiwala. Work on the Rohtang Tunnel is proceeding at a fast pace. During the early snowfall in Manali BRO had rescued many stranded tourists and locals. Another big achievement is the apparent commencing of the work on the Sela Tunnel.

Indian Armed Forces Chief Engineers also released Border Road Organisation Technical Magazine “OonchiSadakein”. The conference also witnessed the presentation of Best Task Force and Best Road Trophy by the Minister.The Director General, Addl Dir Gens, Senior officials of Defence Accounts Services and Chief Engineers of all Projects attended the three-day long conference.

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AA/Nampi/DK/Rajib/HS

 

[Hindustani78]

04-December, 2018 16:08 IST
19th December to be the last date of bidding for second bundle of Toll-Operate-Transfer project

Spread over Four states – Rajasthan, Gujarat, West Bengal and Bihar, the offer has 12 toll plazas across Four Highways


The submission of bids for second bundle of Toll-Operate-Transfer (TOT) will close on the 19th of this month. This bundle consists of over 586 kms of National Highways, spread over four states – Rajasthan, Gujarat, West Bengal and Bihar. The offer has 12 toll plazas across four highways. The objective of the Road Show was to invite prospective investors to be a part of the TOT projects.

TOT Bundle II

The stretches offered are operational highways with a proven tolling history of at least 2 years

Stretches

NH

State

Number of Toll Plazas

Length (Km)

Chittorgarh - Kota & Chittorgarh Bypass

27

Rajasthan

3

160.50

Swaroopganj – Pindwara & Pindwara - Udaipur

27

Rajasthan

2

120.02

Palanpur / Khemana - Abu Road

27

Rajasthan/ Gujarat

1

45.00

JetpurSomnath

151

Gujarat

2

102.26

PurneaDalkhola

31

Bihar

1

36.30

DalkholaIslampur

31

West Bengal

1

51.97

Islampur - Sonapur – Ghoshpukur

31

West Bengal

1

44.00

Salsalabari - West Bengal Assam Border Section

31C

West Bengal

1

26.50

Total





12

586.55



TOT is a model for monetizing operational National Highways projects. The investor makes a lump sum payment in return for long term toll collection rights backed by a sound tolling system. The concession period is 30 years. Up to 49 per cent divestment is allowed till two years of the concession period. Up to 10 per cent change in ownership is allowed after two years. The investor is de-risked from undertaking any construction. If required, NHAI will conduct capacity augmentation at its own cost.

The first TOT bundle of 9 projects, totalling approximately 681 KM of roads in two states of Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat, was awarded in 2018. Huge interest was shown by foreign investors. TOT Bundle-I was awarded to Macquarie for Rs. 9,681 Crore, which was 1.5 times the Authority’s estimate. National Highways Authority of India did a financial closure of this project with the India chief of Macquarie handing over a cheque for Rs 9,681.5 crore to Shri Nitin Gadkari on 29th of August this year in New Delhi.

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NP/MS/MS