As many as 448 infrastructure projects, each entailing an investment of Rs 150 crore or above, were hit by cost overruns of more than Rs 5.55 lakh crore during December quarter 2023, an official report stated.

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The Quarterly Project Implementation Status Report (QPISR) on Central Sector Projects (costing Rs 150 crore and above) for the third quarter of 2023-24, contains detailed information on 1,897 projects.

The QPISR is prepared by Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. Out of 1,897 projects, 448 projects were having cost overrun of Rs 5,55,352.41 crore, which is 65.2 per cent of their sanctioned cost.

However, it stated that with regard to the latest approved cost, 292 projects had reported cost overrun of Rs 2,89,699.46 crore. Further, 276 projects are having both time and cost overruns.

Out of 1,897 projects, 56 projects were ahead of schedule, 632 projects were on schedule, 902 projects were delayed with respect to the original schedule of completion. Further, it stated that for 307 projects, either original or the anticipated date of completion was not reported or had lapsed. The anticipated completion cost of these 1,897 projects is reported to be Rs 31,74,489.91 crore.

The total expenditure as on December 31, 2023 was Rs 16,89,400.92 crore which works out to 53.22 per cent of the total anticipated completion cost and 63.9 per cent of the original cost. For these 1,897 projects, a total outlay of Rs 3,70,983.54 crore has been allocated for 2023-24, it stated.

The percentage of delayed projects changed from 56.70 per cent in quarter ended December 2022 to 47.55 per cent in third quarter of FY24. The percentage of cost overrun reduced from 21.42 per cent to 20.1 per cent.

Reasons for time overrun, as reported by various project implementing agencies, include delay in land acquisition, obtaining forest and environment clearances and law and order problems.

The report also cited state-wise lockdowns due to COVID-19 (imposed in 2020 and 2021) as a reason for the delay in implementation of these projects. While the cost overruns due to general price escalation could not be avoided, the cost escalation on account of delay could be minimized, it stated.