It has also been decided that at the stage of appraisal & approval of the projects, the cost of plantation is to be estimated based on the forest schedule of rates respective state. This issue is with the approval of the competent authority.

It has been decided to get the Avenue plantation work executed either through Government Agencies like forest Departments/Forest Development Corporations/Urban bodies/State Rural Livelihood Mission (SHGs)/Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan etc. by entering Mous or through a Private Plantation.

Chairman directed that no ROs or PDs should be called at NHAI HQ till 31st March so that the target of Construction/award may be met.

The delegated Power to ROs is Rs. 50 Crore for each MoRTH identified blacks spot, considering that a number of such MoRT&H identified blacks spots may be located in the nearby vicinity, ROs can take a judicious decision to combine bids for rectification of such black spots into a single bid if feasible instead of inviting separate bids for each black spot.

The issue of cost estimates of National Highways has been coming up at various forums. Historically, a reference is made to the costing norms as considered by the B K Chaturvedi committee in their planning commission which was mainly based on the data provided by the NHAI at that time.