Centre Shifts Focus To Highway Maintenance Amid Rising Congestion

Amid growing concerns over the upkeep of national highways, the Centre has directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to prioritise their maintenance.

This shift in strategy stems from the Finance Ministry's decision to pause the approval of new road projects under the Bharatmala Pariyojana, citing escalating costs and funding constraints.

According to a report in the Economic Times, the NHAI plans to take up 79 NH (original) projects covering approximately 1,421 km at an estimated cost of Rs 144,392 crore in the current fiscal year.

The scheme is divided into two categories — NHO1 and NHO2 — both focused on maintaining and improving the existing highway network. NHO1 projects will address routine maintenance, repairs, and minor upgrades, while NHO2 projects will involve more significant upgrades and modernisation aimed at increasing capacity, safety, and efficiency.

Out of the Rs 1.44 lakh crore, Rs 71,112 crore is allocated to NHO1 and Rs 73,280 crore to NHO2. The Road Transport and Highways Ministry has approved NHAI's plan for 2024-25, which identifies 39 NHO1 projects and 40 NHO2 projects.

Bihar tops the list of states with the most national highway projects under the NH (original) scheme, followed by Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh. The ministry will now move forward with these projects through NHAI, pending cabinet approval.

Historically, maintenance and regular monitoring of infrastructure projects in India have not been regulated, nor have they been diligently tracked by operators. The new scheme aims to change this by ensuring proper upkeep, which could also help reduce congestion on highways and deliver significant economic benefits. However, this shift may also result in slower progress on new greenfield highways and expressways this financial year.