MoRTH proposes enhancement of NHAI’s powers for speedy implementation of Bharatmala programme

The MoRTH has proposed an enhancement of the National Highways Authority of India’s (NHAI) powers by enabling the authority to approve projects with a construction cost of more than Rs 100 billion for ensuring speedy implementation of the Bharatmala programme. Currently, all highway projects that entail a construction cost of more than Rs 100 billion, excluding the land acquisition cost, need to be approved by the CCEA. Under the proposal, only PPP projects under the build-operate-transfer model, wherein viability gap funding is to be provided by the government, will need CCEA clearance.