The cost of highway projects under the Bharatmala programme rose significantly from initial estimates due to the construction of wider highways, tunnels, flyovers, and more expensive land acquisition, a top Roads Ministry official said.
Speaking to ET, the official said that the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on Bharatmala has overlooked multiple intricacies while concluding that were cost overruns in the Rs 5.35 lakh crore programme.
