New Delhi, May 28: Planning Commission today pulled up NHAI for delays in completion of the first phase of Rs 58,000 crore National Highway Development Project (NHDP), saying 70 per cent of the work would not meet the deadline of December 2003. Last week transport minister B C Khanduri had pushed back the deadline by one year till 2004. In a review meeting held here with Planning Commission deputy chairman K C Pant, NHAI chairman S Nautiyal and secretary, ministry of transport, Ashoke Joshi said 45 per cent of the work of 5864 km Golden Quadrilateral (a part of NHDP), would be completed by December 2003. Expressing discontent at the pace of progress of the project, the Commission said even if 50 per cent of the work is done in the next seven months, only 32 per cent of the work would be complete. Till date 1327 km of the total length of GQ involving four-laning of highways connecting the four metros has been completed and 4383 km is under implementation. However, contract for another 136 km is yet to awarded, the Commission pointed and said at the present rate hardly 60 per cent of the work would be done by December 2004. Removal of utilities and land acquisition, environmental and forest clearances, law and order problems and poor performance of some contractors was cited as reasons for the delay by NHAI. Bureau Report