PPPAC recommends projects worth Rs. 7,595 cr.

A government panel has recommended five road transport and highway projects worth Rs. 7,595 crore in the public-private partnership (PPP) mode.

The Public-Private Partnership Appraisal Committee (PPPAC), headed by Economic Affairs Secretary Arvind Mayaram, recommended these projects in its meeting.

The projects, involving two and four laning of roads and highways, are in Karnataka (Rs. 693 crore), Kerala (Rs. 577 crore), Madhya Pradesh (Rs. 922 crore) and Haryana (Rs. 878 crore). The fifth project is Eastern Peripheral Expressway, which is pegged at Rs. 4,524 crore. The length of all these projects, sponsored by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, is 626 kilometers.

An Empowered Committee (EC), also headed by Mayaram, approved Viability Gap Funding (VGF) of Rs. 1,280 crore for PPP projects in its 19th meeting.

It accorded in-principle approval to four projects, including two from Maharashtra and two Uttar Pradesh for VGF of Rs. 695, and final approval to two projects from Uttar Pradesh for VGF of Rs. 585, the finance ministry said in a statement.

BS