The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has identified irregularities in the allocation of projects for highway development funded by the central government. In its assessment of the first phase of the Bharatmala Pariyojana, the auditor has also uncovered deficiencies in the evaluation and approval processes submitted to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA). Moreover, the report has highlighted substantial cost overruns in several high-cost Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) projects, such as the construction of the Dwarka Expressway and Delhi-Vadodara Expressway.
Of particular concern is the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)'s decision to opt for an elevated carriageway for the Haryana section of the expressway. This choice has resulted in a significant increase in construction costs, raising them from the originally sanctioned Rs 18.2 crore per kilometer to a staggering Rs 251 crore per kilometer, as indicated in the report.
It's worth noting that the NHAI is responsible for constructing the mentioned expressway as part of the Bharatmala program, and the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) had initially approved an average construction cost of Rs 18.2 crore per kilometer for the overall Bharatmala program.
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