NHAI sets ambitious construction target of 4,600 km for financial year 2022

In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, NHAI has set an ambitious target to build new highways with a combined length of 4,600 km in the current fiscal year. In the previous fiscal, NHAI had constructed a record 4,192 km of highways, up from 3,979 km developed in 2019-20 and 3,380 km in 2018-19. While the target for the current year appears to be a tall order, NHAI believes that it could meet it with EPC and HAM projects. The authority has a robust stream of funds including budgetary outlays and borrowings as well as funds being realised through the toll-operate-transfer route. Meanwhile, NHAI awarded 141 projects with a length of 4,788 km in 2020-21. The length awarded in 2020-21 was the highest in the past three years, as compared to 3,211 km in 2019-20 and 2,222 km in 2018-19.