Smooth ride: Government to make BOT highway projects more attractive to investors

As private sector investment is critical for building 34,800 km of highway under the Bharatmala project, the government has started working on making the build-operate-transfer (Toll) model more attractive to potential investors.

“We have noticed that a majority of disputes and delays arising in BOT (toll) projects are due to delays in land acquisition and statutory clearances like forest and environment by the NHAI. So, in the MCA, we have proposed that appointed date can’t be given by the NHAI without fulfilling all the responsibilities of the authority. There should also be no option for waiver of conditions precedent by either party,” said a source.