The Highways Department has hinted at a possible delay of 27 road construction projects worth 15 billion baht this fiscal year, pending the formation of a new government.
These 27 road projects have already been approved for implementation this fiscal year, ending September, but the signing of construction contracts will need to be approved by the next cabinet.
The present caretaker cabinet has no authority to approve the construction contracts the department may sign with the contractors winning the bids for the projects.
Chatchawal Boonjaroenkij, director-general of the department, said the department was now in the process of drafting the terms of reference for those contracts and the bids for them should begin and be completed in two months.
All 27 projects of the projects had been endorsed in parliament and the budgets approved. However, the department was required by law to seek a cabinet approval for any contract it entered. The department would have to wait until the new cabinet took office to proceed with the work.
The 27 projects are divided into seven groups. The first group consists of five highway expansion projects covering areas in Ubon Ratchathani, Amnat Charoen, Chumphon, Ranong, Chaiyaphum, Khon Kaen, Sakon Nakhon, and Udon Thani.
The second group comprises constructions of pedestrian bridges on Highway 338 (Borommaratchachonnani Road) and Phutthamonthon Sai 5 Road.
The third group involves the planned construction of a new highway from Chachoengsao’s Plaeng Yao district to a section of Highway 304 that links Nonthaburi with Nakhon Ratchasima.
The fourth group consists of the planned constructions of seven alleviated roads, bridges, and tunnels such as an alleviated road in Nakhon Sawan and a U-turn bridge on Rama II Road.
The fifth group consists of seven highway expansion projects covering areas in Chon Buri, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Ayutthaya, Buri Ram, Roi Et, Nakhon Ratchasima, and Si Sa Ket.
The sixth group comprises five constructions of bypasses in the northeastern provinces while the last group deals with maintenance of roads in the northern province of Nan.