The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) plans to establish milestones for land acquisition processes and environmental, forest, and wildlife clearances for all national highway (NH) projects that go under bidding, with effect from June 01, 2025. More than 90 per cent of the project’s right-of-way (ROW) length must be obtained prior to bids being received. Similarly, general agreement drawings and utility shifting estimates must be completed.
As of December 2024, around 55 per cent of the 374 road projects with a total construction cost of Rs 1 trillion, were more than six months behind schedule, with time overruns rising from 33 per cent in June 2023 to 55 per cent in December 2024.
According to the centre, this move will help synchronise the project approval, award, and the appointed date declared by all stakeholders. It will also help prevent delays in the construction of NH projects, as well as contractual disputes and time and cost overruns.