City
Epaper

Govt proposes investor-friendly changes in MCA for highways

By IANS | Updated: January 8, 2020 21:50 IST

Seeking to revive private investment in the roads sector, the Centre has proposed investor-friendly changes in the model concession agreement (MCA) for Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) highway projects.

Open in App

The changes are aimed at putting in place a progressive dispute resolution mechanism, mutual foreclosure agreement and harmonious substitution of the concessionaire.

Industry experts termed the proposed amendments in the MCA as incremental which will help the highways sector but may not give immediate push to BOT (Toll) projects.

"These are incremental changes. It has to be followed in letter and spirit," said Sandeep Upadhyay, MD & CEO, Centrum Infrastructure Advisory.

He added that the availability of credit was a much bigger issue for the sector and revival of BOT (Toll) projects may take upto nine months.

Apex highways development agency National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has invited suggestions from various stakeholders such as bankers, contractors, consultants and industry bodies on the proposed amendment.

"The amendments have been proposed after deliberations with Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRT&H), Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, and Niti Aayog," the NHAI said in a statement.

The major modifications proposed in the MCA are related to capping of liabilities of either party throughout the subsistence of the agreement, tightening of conditions precedent prior to declaration of appointed date and dispute resolution.

The central road building agency and regulator said that the move will ensure to draw a fine line of functional balance of Public Private Partnership (PPP) for development of highway infrastructure in the country.

The private sector interest in the road sector has been tepid forcing the government to substantially scale up public spending.

( With inputs from IANS )

Tags: MCABOTNhai
Open in App

Related Stories

NationalFASTag Annual Pass at Rs 3,000 From August 2025 For These Vehicles; Check More Details

Navi MumbaiWestern Entry to Navi Mumbai Airport on Track for June 2025 Completion

CricketYashasvi Jaiswal Makes U-Turn, Requests MCA to Allow Him to Play for Mumbai in Upcoming Domestic Season

Cricket“From Not Having To Enter the Stadium, Now…”: Rohit Sharma After Getting a Stand Named After Him at Wankhede (Watch Video)

NationalNHAI Increases Toll Charges by 4-5% Across Highways and Expressways Across Country

कारोबार Realted Stories

BusinessRail Door Profiles by Hafele

Business"There will be no shortage of crude oil," assures Hardeep Singh Puri

BusinessHero Motocorp introduces 'Battery-As-A-Service model EV ownership

BusinessSignify and Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board Partner to Illuminate 61 Villages, Empowering Local Communities Under 'Har Gaon Roshan' CSR Initiative

BusinessReliance Aerostructure, Dassault to manufacture Falcon 2000 jets in India for global market