By Amarendra Kumar, Director – Technical, National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited
National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) operates across all north-eastern states, serving as a prominent executing agency for national highways in the region, while also holding a significant share of projects in Arunachal Pradesh. Beyond the north-eastern region, it has executed projects in Jammu & Kashmir (including major tunnels), as well as a 100 km stretch in Uttarakhand along with the Silkyara tunnel. The agency also manages Indo-China border roads for the Ministry of Home Affairs, state government infrastructure projects, and minor works for the Ministry of Tourism.
Project portfolio overview
Currently, NHIDCL oversees over 8,000 km of national highways. As of February 2026, it has constructed around 5,769 km of road length and is currently responsible for about 164 ongoing projects spanning a total length of 3,340 km.
NHIDCL has completed several marquee projects recently. The 98 km Imphal-Moreh road (providing connectivity between India and ASEAN countries through Myanmar), the Zojila tunnel (providing all-weather connectivity between the Ladakh region and the rest of the country) and the Azad Hind Fauz Setu bridge (providing connectivity between South Andaman and the far end of North and Middle Andaman districts) have been completed. Significant portions of the trans-Arunachal national highway (NH) have been completed, with only one or two packages remaining. The Dhubri-Phulbari bridge, a 19.28 km stretch dominated by a Brahmaputra bridge costing Rs 50 billion, is progressing well towards completion by 2028, likely ahead of schedule. Once completed, it will be the longest river bridge in India and will reduce the road distance between Assam and Meghalaya by 203 km.
Furthermore, NHIDCL has played a vital role in enhancing cross-border connectivity with Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar through several strategic road infrastructure projects. These include the construction of the Feni river bridge on NH-8 in Tripura, which links the state directly to Bangladesh, and the development of the Imphal-Moreh road and Moreh bypass on NH-102 in Manipur to facilitate trade with Myanmar. In Mizoram, the two-laning of NH-54 from Aizawl to Tuipang will support cross-border commerce with Myanmar via two upcoming land ports. Additionally, the construction of the Shillong-Dawki road on NH-106/206 in Meghalaya provides essential connectivity to Bangladesh, while the Imphal-Jiribam road on NH-37 in Manipur further strengthens trade links with Myanmar.
Execution experience and overcoming region-specific challenges
Developing roads in hilly terrain is complex, both in terms of planning and execution. A primary challenge lies in the preparation of high quality detailed project reports, a task made even more difficult when dealing with greenfield alignments. To conduct these surveys, teams establish remote camps and plan for weeks of isolated fieldwork – a logistical hurdle that requires specific budgetary provisions for survival and operations. While the advent of light detection and ranging and drone technologies has simplified greenfield mapping to an extent, ensuring high levels of accuracy remains a concern.
Other long-standing issues continue to plague the execution of highway projects. Each challenge in the region requires a specific technical or strategic solution. For instance, the issue of fragile geological strata is addressed by implementing specialised slope protection measures to stabilise the ground. The north-eastern region’s high rainfall also poses a threat, leading to the use of cement-treated bases and sub-bases. To manage the limited working season caused by harsh weather, project teams engage in meticulous planning to maximise productivity during viable working windows.
Furthermore, the linear alignment of these roads often results in limited “attack points” for machinery, a problem solved by creating strategic access points to allow work to proceed from multiple fronts. To counter the frequent threat of natural calamities like landslides, engineers install early warning systems. The immense logistical and maintenance challenges of operating in remote areas are handled by enhancing supply chains and including extra buffers in the project budget. Furthermore, for specialised structures required in the terrain, the prefabrication of structures is carried out, while disturbed natural drainage is managed through the installation of enhanced water flow management.
Growing role of technology and innovative construction methods
Technology plays a pivotal role across planning, monitoring and maintenance of state and hill roads under NHIDCL. During construction and operations and maintenance (O&M), drone imagery is mandatory for progress monitoring, safety audits and the identification of maintenance needs, mirroring the National Highways Authority of India’s practices. Precast components have been standardised for over 300 contracts.
Many innovative materials are also being used across the road projects. These include geosynthetics across the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Nagaland, Jammu, Assam and Sikkim; modular bridges, precast breast walls and waste plastic roads in Manipur; cement treated base and cement treated sub-base across the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Assam, Srinagar, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Tripura and Mizoram; modified bitumen (additive) in Sikkim; and extruded polystyrene sheets in Jammu & Kashmir. Additionally, the use of ultra-high concrete is also being planned.
The development of infrastructure in hilly regions requires highly specialised solutions tailored to local geological conditions. In this context, soil stabilisation has emerged as a key solution. In Manipur and Mizoram, a combination of structural and biological methods is employed, including the construction of breast and gabion walls, rock bolting, and the use of hydroseeding, mulching and vetiver plantations to prevent erosion. Additionally, precast breast walls are being utilised to streamline construction.
In Mizoram, specific attention is given to soft soil conditions through the construction of reinforced earth walls for embankments, the use of anchors for soil stability, and the application of cement-treated sub-bases for bituminous pavements. Meanwhile, in Arunachal Pradesh, the focus is on technical expertise and high-tech execution, particularly in bridge construction, the use of specialised machinery and earth-cutting plants, and the implementation of new pavement and tunnelling technologies.
Safety and resilience are prioritised in Jammu & Kashmir through the building of avalanche protection structures and the utilisation of geocomposite technology. Similarly, under Japan International Cooperation Agency-assisted projects in Sikkim, self-drilling anchored systems and double twisted hexagonal-shaped wire mesh have been installed to ensure long-term stability.
Future plans and targets
A key objective of NHIDCL is to accelerate the construction of national highways and other infrastructure in the north-eastern region, as well as in border and strategic areas such as Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Uttarakhand and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. These efforts are enhancing accessibility in remote, border and backward regions through the development of all-weather roads, tunnels and bridges. Local communities have benefited from improved livelihood opportunities through upskilling and employment programmes, while trade and tourism have expanded due to better cross-border connectivity. Furthermore, digital platforms, including DAMS, Data Lake, INAMPRO+, INFRACON, BhoomiRashi, PMG, CPGRAMS and VIP References, are streamlining processes, thereby enhancing transparency and accessibility. Going forward, NHIDCL plans wider precast adoption, automated construction pilots and enhanced drone analytics for O&M. Targets focus on the timely completion of the ongoing projects and the implementation of new road works with sustained quality.
