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• The National Highways Infra Trust (NHIT), sponsored by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), has appointed General Management Consultants (GMCs) to professionalise the operations and maintenance of National Highway assets under its portfolio.
• In the first phase, the consultants will oversee operations and maintenance of 908 km of highways, forming part of NHIT's 2,653-km asset portfolio.
• The initiative aims to improve operational efficiency, adopt technology-driven asset management practices and strengthen governance in line with SEBI's InvIT regulations.
• NHAI also plans to develop a specialised ecosystem of operations and maintenance contractors to further enhance lifecycle management of National Highway infrastructure.
The National Highways Infra Trust (NHIT), an Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvIT) sponsored by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), has appointed General Management Consultants (GMCs) to strengthen the professional management of operations and maintenance (O&M) across National Highway assets under its portfolio. The move is aimed at institutionalising technology-driven asset management practices, improving operational efficiency and adopting globally accepted standards for maintaining highway infrastructure.
Registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in October 2020, NHIT currently manages National Highway assets spanning a combined length of 2,653 km. As part of the first phase of the initiative, the newly appointed consultants will oversee the operations and maintenance of 908 km of highway assets. The programme is intended to enhance asset performance while establishing a structured framework for long-term lifecycle management of operational highway corridors.
NHIT is supported by National Highways InvIT Project Managers Private Limited (NHIPMPL), a wholly owned subsidiary of NHAI that serves as the project manager for the trust. NHIPMPL is responsible for ensuring efficient operation and maintenance of highway assets either directly or through consultants, while maintaining reporting, disclosure and certification requirements under SEBI's InvIT regulations.
Under the new arrangement, the General Management Consultants will assist NHIPMPL in delivering comprehensive asset management services. Their responsibilities include conducting systematic daily, weekly and monthly inspections using visual assessments as well as equipment-based evaluation techniques. Based on these inspections, the consultants will identify maintenance requirements, recommend safety interventions, plan defect rectification works, assess capacity augmentation needs and suggest measures to improve the overall quality and reliability of National Highway assets for road users.
The consultants will also manage the procurement of specialised contractors and agencies, supervise execution of maintenance works, certify completed projects and recommend improvements in toll plaza operations and traffic management. In addition, they will ensure timely reporting and regulatory compliance in accordance with SEBI's framework governing Infrastructure Investment Trusts.
According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the initiative reflects NHAI's continued focus on introducing global best practices in the lifecycle management of highway infrastructure. The model is expected to create a dedicated ecosystem of professional operations and maintenance consultants with specialised expertise in National Highway asset management while generating new business opportunities, innovation and employment within the infrastructure sector.
Building on this framework, NHAI also plans to develop a network of specialised operations and maintenance contractors to further strengthen highway asset management capabilities. The ministry stated that improved governance standards, enhanced operational efficiency and stronger regulatory compliance are expected to reinforce investor confidence and support greater domestic and international investment in India's National Highway infrastructure through the InvIT model.
Source PIB
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