Development of Northeast roads running smooth

01 Mar 2019 CW Staff

The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL) has not yet faced any stoppage in funding of new projects.

Recent reports indicate that new development projects in the Northeast will be 100 per cent funded by the Central Government. As per the previous policy, 90 per cent was funded by the government while the remaining had to be done by the state. However, ongoing projects – estimated to be completed by 2020 – will continue to be funded in a 90:10 ratio.

Nagendra Nath Sinha, Managing Director, NHIDCL, shares that 24 projects were awarded in FY2017-18; and 14 projects in FY2018-19. “None of these projects are on PPP mode and hence the issue of financial closure is not relevant to us,” he says. “However, of late, some firms have faced difficulties in arranging bank guarantees for performance security or mobilisation advances.”

Projects are awarded under NHIDCL in the EPC mode. The funds are allocated by the government under different heads: Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for North Eastern Region (SARDP-NE), NH(O) and External Aided Projects (EAP)-(JICA/ADB-Funding) to NHIDCL. While funding is yet to be firmed up for Bharatmala projects under NHIDCL, “JICA and other multilateral development banks or agencies could be other sources taped for taking up mandated infrastructure projects,” he says.

SHRIYAL SETHUMADHAVAN

Real Estate

30 Jul 2026

AI: The New Recruit

From getting ideas to evaluating designs, presenting concepts to clients and tracking projects, artificial intelligence (AI) is helping architects work better and faster.“AI allows architects to spend more time doing what only they can do: think critically, synthesise complexity and design with intent,” says Dikshu C Kukreja, Managing Principal, CP Kukreja Architects. “Every minute reclaimed from repetitive processes can be invested in creativity, contextual understanding, interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation – the qualities that define meaningful architecture.”To read the ..

Redevelopment 2.0

In 2017, Mumbai identified 160,000 ageing buildings due for structural audit. Close to half of these were in the Western Suburbs. Redeveloping the oldest and structurally weakest of these would help unlock new housing, much needed given the city’s growing population density and constant developed area of 437.7 sq km. At 30,600 people per sq km in 2024, Mumbai’s density was almost thrice that of Gurugram, and 60 per cent higher than Bengaluru’s.Essentially, Mumbai’s realty market has demand. It has capital. It has realty development potential.Fast forward to 2026. Mumbai has 1,094 regis..

Cost intelligence will become a strategic contributor to project success

As India's construction industry accelerates its digital transformation, integrated platforms, AI and connected data are becoming essential to improving cost certainty, project efficiency and sustainability. Ravi Kumar, Sales Director – India, RIB Software India, shares how digital workflows are reshaping project planning, commercial management and decision-making across the construction value chain.India's construction sector is embracing digital technologies at an unprecedented pace. From your perspective, what are the biggest shifts driving this transformation and how is RIB Software enab..