Col at its review meeting with NHAI in December 2007 had expressed dissatisfaction with NHAI's performance and recurrent failure to meet deadlines. Things do not seem to have changed substantially since then.

• On NHDP I, only 49 pc four-laning done and 55 pc toll tolling achieved against 2007-08 targets.

• On NHDP II,51 pc four-laning done and just 5 pc contracts awarded against targets

• On NHDP III, 9 pc BOT contacts awarded against targets of 3,278 kms

• On NHDP V, concessions awarede for just 882 kms for 2007-08

• Of the 7,919 kms upgraded under NHDP, just 61 pc tolled(4,858 kms), causing revenue loss

Against a target of four-laning 1,283 kms of National Highways in 2006-07, NHAI had only widened 636 kms49.5 per cent achievement of their target.

With GQ still dragging on, NHAI has now decided to close all lingering projects by June and instead award them for six-laning straight away.

NHDP-II across 6,647 km has fared even worse.

While 811-km length was to be awarded in 2007-08, contracts were awarded for just 43 km, posting a dismal 5 per cent achievement.

Against a target of four-laning 2,013 kms, there was 51 per cent achievement with just 1,020 kms completed by NHAI.

On NHDP-III, the 12,109km-long project to connect places of social and economic significance, against a target of awarding concessions for 3,278 kms, there has been a meagre 9 per cent achievement with contracts awarded for just 278 kms.

Against a target of awarding concessions for 2,995 kms, NHDP-V has shown 29 per cent achievement with concessions for 882 kms awarded.

Of the total of 7,919 kms four-laned national highways under NHDP, only 61 per cent of these-4,858kmsare being tolled as of December 2007, causing a massive revenue loss to NHAI. Col has raised this issue repeatedly. The delay in the re- structuring of NHAI, notification of the new toll policy, preparation of an action plan to address overloading of trucks and creation of a road safety agency were some other issues on the Col radar, and these still await action.

While delay in execution of highway projects is hardly new, the fact that the gap between targets and actual achievement has increased substantially in the last five years is alarming. The achievement rate on four- lane projects is down from 81 per cent in 2004-05 to just 49 per cent in 2006-07, bringing down the progress rate in the entire Tenth Plan period.