Maya’s projects remain on paper
During the last 18 months, since BSP came to power in Uttar Pradesh — the most backward state of the country — Chief Minister Mayawati announced around a dozen mega development projects worth Rs 130,000 crore. But most of these projects still remain only on paper.
All these projects are related to development of infrastructure in different sectors, like roads, public transport, technical education, health, tourism, power, aviation, urban development.
To project its seriousness to get these projects moving, the state Government unveiled a new State Economic Policy in December 2007. It also created a new Department of Infrastructure. But so far, there has been a very little progress.
The only exceptions are the 165-km Yamuna Expressway between Greater Noida and Agra, which is expected to become operational before the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, and thermal power projects like Anpara C, Rosa and Meja where work is on currently.
Explaining the delays, a government official said: “These are big projects. We have invited global tenders to give everyone an equal opportunity. This takes time.” He also justified frequent changes in the terms and conditions of bidding for the projects.
The industry, however, thinks otherwise. S B Agarwal of ASSOCHAM, UP Chapter, was categorical that “the atmosphere in UP is not congenial and the infrastructure not appropriate for industry.”
He said power crisis and political instability were two major factors deterring investors to come to UP.
An uncertain future?
Integrated Urban Rejuvenation Plan
The project envisages improving the urban infrastructural facilities in eight towns — Ghaziabad, Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra, Aligarh, Varanasi, Allahabad and Meerut — to international standards. The project is expected to bring in an investment of Rs 12,000 crores into urban infrastructure.
After extending the last date of bidding for appointing a consultant thrice, the state government has finally selected a consultant. The consultant will help the Housing and Urban Development Department in identifying the PPP component of this plan and will also assist in the process of inviting the investors.
Ganga Expressway
The Rs 30,000 crore eight-lane expressway from Greater Noida to Ballia in eastern UP is proposed to come up on the left bank of river Ganga. The acquisition of land for the main carriageway was scheduled to begin by July-end but the process could not take off due to alignment problem at Narora and Varanasi. Officials now claim that the problem has been sorted out.
Mutli-Speciality Hospitals
Under this Rs 1,150 crore project, seven multi-speciality hospitals were to be set up in Lucknow, Agra, Saharanpur, Amebdkar Nagar, Azamgarh, Bijnor and Jalaun. At present, the government is in the process of selecting a consultancy firm which would assist the Department of Medical and Health in preparing a blueprint for the project.
Public Transport Infrastructure
To meet the increasing demand for public transport and to provide better public transport to people, the government, opened 460 routes for the private players in March. This gave the private players an opportunity to ply their buses on these routes along with Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) buses. In its terms and conditions, the government made it mandatory for each private player to bring in 4,000 or more buses, which the investors found impractical. On failing to attract the investors, the government first brought the number down to 1,000 which has been further reduced to 250 now.
Bara and Karchhana Thermal Power projects
The Rs 15,000 crore projects aim to set up a 2 X 660 MWpower plant at Karchhana and a 3 X 660 MW power plant at Bara. After conducting the bids three times in about last eight months, and changing the terms and conditions several times, the government has now got 23 companies that have shown interest in these power projects.
All these projects are related to development of infrastructure in different sectors, like roads, public transport, technical education, health, tourism, power, aviation, urban development.
To project its seriousness to get these projects moving, the state Government unveiled a new State Economic Policy in December 2007. It also created a new Department of Infrastructure. But so far, there has been a very little progress.
The only exceptions are the 165-km Yamuna Expressway between Greater Noida and Agra, which is expected to become operational before the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, and thermal power projects like Anpara C, Rosa and Meja where work is on currently.
Explaining the delays, a government official said: “These are big projects. We have invited global tenders to give everyone an equal opportunity. This takes time.” He also justified frequent changes in the terms and conditions of bidding for the projects.
The industry, however, thinks otherwise. S B Agarwal of ASSOCHAM, UP Chapter, was categorical that “the atmosphere in UP is not congenial and the infrastructure not appropriate for industry.”
He said power crisis and political instability were two major factors deterring investors to come to UP.
An uncertain future?
Integrated Urban Rejuvenation Plan
The project envisages improving the urban infrastructural facilities in eight towns — Ghaziabad, Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra, Aligarh, Varanasi, Allahabad and Meerut — to international standards. The project is expected to bring in an investment of Rs 12,000 crores into urban infrastructure.
After extending the last date of bidding for appointing a consultant thrice, the state government has finally selected a consultant. The consultant will help the Housing and Urban Development Department in identifying the PPP component of this plan and will also assist in the process of inviting the investors.
Ganga Expressway
The Rs 30,000 crore eight-lane expressway from Greater Noida to Ballia in eastern UP is proposed to come up on the left bank of river Ganga. The acquisition of land for the main carriageway was scheduled to begin by July-end but the process could not take off due to alignment problem at Narora and Varanasi. Officials now claim that the problem has been sorted out.
Mutli-Speciality Hospitals
Under this Rs 1,150 crore project, seven multi-speciality hospitals were to be set up in Lucknow, Agra, Saharanpur, Amebdkar Nagar, Azamgarh, Bijnor and Jalaun. At present, the government is in the process of selecting a consultancy firm which would assist the Department of Medical and Health in preparing a blueprint for the project.
Public Transport Infrastructure
To meet the increasing demand for public transport and to provide better public transport to people, the government, opened 460 routes for the private players in March. This gave the private players an opportunity to ply their buses on these routes along with Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) buses. In its terms and conditions, the government made it mandatory for each private player to bring in 4,000 or more buses, which the investors found impractical. On failing to attract the investors, the government first brought the number down to 1,000 which has been further reduced to 250 now.
Bara and Karchhana Thermal Power projects
The Rs 15,000 crore projects aim to set up a 2 X 660 MWpower plant at Karchhana and a 3 X 660 MW power plant at Bara. After conducting the bids three times in about last eight months, and changing the terms and conditions several times, the government has now got 23 companies that have shown interest in these power projects.