295 infra projects delayed; cost overrun at over Rs 1 lakh cr

As many as 295 infrastructure sector projects worth Rs 150 crore or more are delayed with total cost overrun of Rs 1,01,436 crore (Rs 1.01 trillion), Parliament was informed on Thursday.

"As per the 346 Flash Report of August 2014 released by the Ministry of Statistics, out of 720 central sector infrastructure sector projects costing Rs 150 crore (Rs 1.5 billion) and above, 295 projects were delayed," Planning Minister Rao Inderjit Singh said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

"The original cost of the 295 delayed projects is Rs 5,48,838 crore (Rs 5.48 trillion) and anticipated cost is Rs 6,50,274 crore (Rs 6.5 trillion), thus leading to a total cost overrun of Rs 1,01,436 crore," he said.

Out of 295 delayed projects, 62 projects have overall delay in the range of 1-12 months, 66 projects have delay in the range of 13-24 months, 98 projects have delay in the range of 25-60 months and 69 projects have delay of 61 months and above, he added.

The road sector accounted for the maximum number of 92 delayed projects with total cost overrun of Rs 1,975 crore (rs 19.75 billion). As many as 32 projects in the Railways sector were delayed leading to the maximum cumulative cost overrun of Rs 46,766 crore (Rs 467.66 billion).

As many as 43 projects are delayed in the petroleum sector with total cost overrun of Rs 16,320 crore (Rs 163.20 billion).

Similarly, 64 projects are delayed in the power sector with total cost overrun of 12,874 crore (Rs 128.74 billion). There are 34 projects in the coal sector which are not running as per their schedule with total cost overrun of Rs 10,242 crore (Rs 102.42 billion).

In atomic energy sector, four projects have got delayed with total cost overrun of Rs 6,284 crore (Rs 62.84 billion). The number of such projects in steel sector is 16 with total cost overrun of Rs 5,954 crore (Rs 59.54 billion).

Meanwhile in another reply, the minister informed that during the current fiscal till October, 1,984 km (31 per cent of target) of roads were constructed against the target of 6,300 km for 2014-15.

Government had set a target to award contracts for constructing of 8,500 km of roads. It awarded contracts for 3,419 km ( 40 per cent of target) till October this fiscal. The total toll collection was Rs 3,584 crore (55 per cent of target) till October this fiscal.

In railways, the government has set a target of laying 300 km of new rail lines during the fiscal. However, it has constructed 41 km till October this fiscal.

The government has set a target of doubling 710 km this fiscal but it has achieved 237 km till October. Similarly it has completed rail electrification of 371 km against the target of 1,350. The gauge conversion of 68 km has been done against the target of 450 km.