The Indian Government has floated a tender worth Rs200bn ($4bn) for the construction of 15 projects covering 2,000km of highways as part of the national highway development plan (NHDP).

Under the new contract, ten projects will involve widening of roads to four-lane highways, while three projects involve widening the roads to six-lanes.

Indian Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure (CCI) approved four / two lanes for the Gomati Chauraha – Udaipur section on NH 8 in Rajasthan, four / two lanes for the Madurai – Ramanathapuram section on NH 49 in Tamil Nadu, plus four – lanes for the Chandikhole – Dubari-Talcher section on NH 200 in Orissa.

The highway projects will be implemented under various phases of the NHDP on a design, build, operate, finance and transfer (DBOFT) basis.

Constructing four lanes for the 79.1km Gomati Chauraha – Udaipur section of NH 8 in Rajasthan will be carried out at a cost of Rs11.1bn ($224mm). The concession period for the project will be for 27 years, including a construction period of 30 months.

The Vikkravandi – Meensuruti – Thanjavur section of NH 45 in Tamil Nadu, under NHDP phase II, will be carried out at a cost of Rs14bn ($282m). After completion it will be a 164.22km highway with four / two lanes with paved shoulders. The concession period for the contract will be 27 years, again including a construction period of 30 months.

Another project approved by the committee is the Madurai – Ramanathapuram section on NH 49 in Tamil Nadu, where the highways will be constructed with four / two lanes.

The 115km long project is estimated to cost Rs8.28bn ($166.9m) and will be built based on a DBFOT basis, with a concession period of 30 years including the construction period of 30 months.

The committee also approved the construction of four lanes of 132.5km in length for the Chandikhole – Dubari – Talcher section on NH 200 in Orissa, built on a DBFOT basis. The Rs14bn ($297m) project will expedite the improvement of infrastructure in Orissa and reduce the time and cost of travel for traffic plying between Chandikhole, Dubari and Talcher.

NHAI expects that about 60 companies will participate in the bidding and it will award the project in the next fiscal, after shortlisting bidders. During the ongoing financial year of 2011 – 12, NHAI has awarded highways contracts for 5,100km until January 2012, against the target of 7,300km.

For the coming year, NHAI has set the target of awarding the highways contract to 9,000km.