The Government of India and the World Bank on Wednesday signed a $500 million project to build safe and green national highway corridors in the states of Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. The project will enhance the capacity of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) in mainstreaming safety and green technologies.
The Green National Highways Corridors Project will support MoRTH construct 783 km of highways in various geographies by integrating safe and green technology designs such as local and marginal materials, industrial byproducts, and other bioengineering solutions. The project will help reduce GHG emissions in the construction and maintenance of highways.
This project will set new standards in the construction of safe motorable roads in selected stretches in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh to improve connectivity, said C S Mohapatra, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance.
The agreement was signed by Mohapatra on behalf of the Government of India and Sumila Gulyani, Acting Country Director, India on behalf of the World Bank. The $500 million loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), has a maturity of 18.5 years including a grace period of five years.
The project will support mapping the freight volume and movement pattern on the National Highway network, identify constraints, and provide innovative logistics solutions.
Jobs for women
Since the transport sector in India has offered limited employment opportunities for women, the World Bank-assisted project will support the ministry with an in-depth analysis of gender-related issues in the transport sector along with help in creating jobs for women by training women-led micro enterprises and women collectives to implement green technologies in the highway corridors, said a statement.
Junaid Ahmad, World Bank Country Director in India, said, "This project will provide efficient transportation for road users in the four states, connect people with markets and services, promote efficient use of construction materials and water to reduce the depletion of scarce natural resources, and help lower GHG emissions."
Safe roads
The National Highways take a load of about 40 percent of road traffic in the country. But several sections of these highways have inadequate capacity, weak drainage structures and black spots prone to accidents, hence, the project will strengthen and widen existing structures; construct new pavements, drainage facilities and bypasses; improve junctions; and introduce road safety features.
Under this project, a disaster risk assessment of about 5,000 km of the National Highway network will be undertaken along with support to ministry for mainstreaming climate resilience aspects in project design and implementation.
