Grand Trunk Road Improvement Project

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The World Bank has adopted a programmatic approach to support the Government of India'a National Highway Development Program (NHDP) through a series of loans. The Grand Trunk Road Improvment Project (GTRIP) is the second project in the series, following the Third National Highway Project (TNHP), which was approved and is under implementation. The development objectives of GTRIP are consistent with those of the TNHP: 1) to reduce transport constraints on national economic activity; and 2) to improve institutional capabilities to manage road programs, assets, and services on a more commercial basis. There are three project components. The first finances highway upgrading, including civil works for widening and strengthening highway lanes, supervision consultant services, as well as funding land acquisition, utility relocation, resettlement and rehabilitation,and environmental mitigation/management. The second component finances road safety and corridor management works, including consultant services for a safety audit, a program of road improvements specifically targeted at supporting improved methods for reducing accidents and improving safety on the national highway network, and a program of maintenance works to introduce alternative contracting methods and to strengthen maintenance management practices. The third component establishes a public-private partnership in road concession, and the fourth component supports social and environmental as well as road capacity building.