The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is rolling out a structured skill development initiative for construction workers on national highway projects. This programme addresses the rising scale, complexity, and quality demands of India’s expanding highway network.
NHAI has mapped labor origins across 49 districts in eight states – West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha, to enable targeted training near workers’ locations. It focuses on upgrading skills for ongoing construction quality control and maintenance of completed assets, while upskilling experienced workers (7-8 years) as “master trainers” for newcomers. Local institutions like ITIs and engineering colleges will serve as hubs, with NHAI field officers as nodal points.