Jharkhand Highway Expansion Stalled Over NOC Delay

26 Feb 2025 CW Team

Initiated in September 2024, the Rs 670 million ($8 million) project officially began on October 3, with an 18-month completion deadline. However, work has remained suspended due to the Forest Department’s reluctance to approve an NOC for a 1.2 km stretch passing through forested land, which includes a mountainous area.

According to Ashok Kumar Rajak, Executive Engineer of the Road Construction Department, the application for the NOC was submitted to the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Seraikela-Kharsawan, but approval is still awaited. The Forest Department had planted around 1,500 saplings along a 6 km section of the road five years ago, preventing the necessary clearance for tree removal and relocation.

The new four-lane road is designed to be 23 meters wide, replacing the current 15-meter-wide two-lane stretch. It will feature two 9-meter lanes and a 4-meter divider. Additionally, electricity poles along the route need to be relocated, with the Jharkhand State Electricity Distribution Corporation Limited yet to provide cost estimates for the process.

Saba Alam, In-charge DFO of Seraikela-Kharsawan, assured that efforts would be made to resolve the delay, stating, “Road widening is a matter of public interest and if an application has been submitted, we will expedite the process.”

Despite the ongoing delay, Rajak remains hopeful, saying, “The project has been delayed due to the Forest Department’s delay in issuing the NOC and permitting tree relocation. However, we are committed to completing the four-lane road within the stipulated period.”

Until the NOC is granted and administrative hurdles are cleared, commuters will continue to endure long delays and deteriorating road conditions on this vital highway.

The expansion of the crucial Domuhani Sonari New Bridge to Kanderbera stretch on NH-33 has been stalled for the past four months due to bureaucratic hurdles, leaving over 10,000 daily commuters struggling with congestion. The project, aimed at upgrading the existing 7.8 km two-lane road into a four-lane highway, has hit a roadblock due to a pending No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Forest Department. Initiated in September 2024, the Rs 670 million ($8 million) project officially began on October 3, with an 18-month completion deadline. However, work has remained suspended due to the Forest Department’s reluctance to approve an NOC for a 1.2 km stretch passing through forested land, which includes a mountainous area. According to Ashok Kumar Rajak, Executive Engineer of the Road Construction Department, the application for the NOC was submitted to the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Seraikela-Kharsawan, but approval is still awaited. The Forest Department had planted around 1,500 saplings along a 6 km section of the road five years ago, preventing the necessary clearance for tree removal and relocation. The new four-lane road is designed to be 23 meters wide, replacing the current 15-meter-wide two-lane stretch. It will feature two 9-meter lanes and a 4-meter divider. Additionally, electricity poles along the route need to be relocated, with the Jharkhand State Electricity Distribution Corporation Limited yet to provide cost estimates for the process. Saba Alam, In-charge DFO of Seraikela-Kharsawan, assured that efforts would be made to resolve the delay, stating, “Road widening is a matter of public interest and if an application has been submitted, we will expedite the process.” Despite the ongoing delay, Rajak remains hopeful, saying, “The project has been delayed due to the Forest Department’s delay in issuing the NOC and permitting tree relocation. However, we are committed to completing the four-lane road within the stipulated period.” Until the NOC is granted and administrative hurdles are cleared, commuters will continue to endure long delays and deteriorating road conditions on this vital highway.

Infrastructure Urban

02 Jun 2026

VECV Sales Rise 7.8 Per Cent In May 2026

VE Commercial Vehicles recorded sales of 7,978 units in May 2026, compared to 7,401 units in May 2025, registering growth of 7.8 per cent. This included 7,789 units from the Eicher brand and 189 units from the Volvo brand.Eicher branded trucks and buses reported sales of 7,789 units during the month, up 7.3 per cent from 7,258 units a year earlier. In the domestic commercial vehicle market, Eicher sales rose 9.1 per cent to 7,375 units from 6,758 units in May 2025.Exports declined 17.2 per cent to 414 units from 500 units in the corresponding month last year. Volvo Trucks and Volvo Buses recor..

Infrastructure Urban

02 Jun 2026

Table Space Strengthens DESYN Leadership Team

Table Space has announced strategic leadership appointments within DESYN, its integrated Design and Build business, as it looks to strengthen operations across key enterprise and GCC markets in India. DESYN was launched as a strategic extension of Table Space’s workspace solutions portfolio to meet rising demand for agile, high-quality and rapidly deployable enterprise workspaces.Shruti Ookabhoy has joined DESYN as Executive Director and will lead the Design vertical, focusing on design capability, operational excellence and team development across markets. She brings over 22 years of experi..

Infrastructure Transport

02 Jun 2026

Concord Associate Bags Rs 2.79 Bn Kavach Order

Concord Control Systems said its associate company, Progota India, has received a Rs 2.79 bn domestic order from Indian Railways for the supply, installation, testing and commissioning of on-board Kavach 4.0 loco equipment.The order is scheduled for execution within 12 months and strengthens Concord’s role in India’s railway safety and signalling ecosystem. Kavach is India’s indigenous automatic train protection system, designed to improve operational safety by helping prevent signal passing at danger and reducing collision risks.Gaurav Lath, Joint Managing Director, Concord Control Syst..