Government has decided to relax norms for road developers in extremist-hit states such as Odisha, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh in view of security threat and slow execution of projects in these areas, an official said.

The development follows completion of barely 2,300 km of roads in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas till date out of proposed 5,477 km till 2012.

"The government has decided to relax eligibility conditions for developers like equipment capability, sub contracting for non-mechanised work and qualification criteria to attract more builders in such areas," a Road, Transport and Highways Ministry official said. The official said there was no response from contractors in some areas of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Maharashtra out of security concerns.