Government on Monday said that problems in land acquisition was one of the main factors in delays in the implementation of National Highway Development projects. Replying to supplementaries in the Lok Sabha, Minister of Road Transport and Highways, C P Joshi said, land acquisition is one of the factors contributing to delay in implementation of some projects under NHDP. Mr Joshi said, out of the 226 projects under implementation by NHAI, 58 projects are currently delayed due to multiple reasons including land acquisition.

The issues causing hindrance in the NHAI projects are forest clearance, poor performance of contractors and utility shifting. He said protection of wildlife during acquisition of land should be ensured while the responsibility of forest clearance lay with the state governments. He informed the House that his ministry is also forming land acquisition units at the district and Tehsildar levels to smoothen the process.