Initial Project Information Document (PID) Report No: AB137 Project Name INDIA -Lucknow-Muzaffarpur National Highway Project Region South Asia Regional Office Public Disclosure Authorized Sector Roads and highways (100%) Theme Infrastructure services for private sector development (P); Public expenditure, financial management and procurement (S) Project P077856 Borrower(s) GOVERNMENT OF INDIA Implementing Agency(ies) NATIONAL HIGHWAYS AUTHORITY OF INDIA Address: NHAI, Plot No. G5&G6, Sector 10, Dwarka, New Delhi Contact Person: G. R. Singhal, Chief General Manager (East-West Corridor) Tel: 91-11-2507-4100 Fax: 91-11-2508-0360 Email:
[email protected] Environment Category A (Full Assessment) Date PID Prepared June 24, 2003 Auth Appr/Negs Date April 15, 2004 Public Disclosure Authorized Bank Approval Date September 30, 2004 1. Country and Sector Background Road transport plays a significant role in India's economy, carrying 80% of the land transport demand. The national highway network has a total length of 58,100 km, which accounts for about 1.8% of the total road network but carries over 40% of the road traffic. With steady economic growth during the last 12 years, traffic on the national highways have increased 6 to 7.5% a year. The network is divided into two parts, the National Highway Development Program (NHDP) network (13,000 km) and non-NHDP network (about 45,000 km), which are managed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MORTH), respectively. NHAI is an implementing agency established Public Disclosure Authorized by Government of India (GOI) under the NHAI Act of 1988.