India, March 25 -- A reduction of Rs.17,537 crore in the revised allocation for the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) against the projected Rs.1,87,803 crore threatens critical highway expansion projects and risks significant delays in land acquisition processes, a department-related standing committee report tabled in Parliament on Tuesday said.

The committee acknowledged that funding shortfalls were not the only reason for languishing highway projects and stressed that delays in obtaining appropriate approvals and clearances from various government agencies equally contributed to project deferrals and cost overruns and recommended a "dual-track approach" to address this challenge.

"First, it should conduct a thorough portfoli...