New Delhi: In a significant step towards institutionalising professional and technology-driven Operations and Maintenance (O&M) of National Highway assets, the National Highways Infra Trust (NHIT), an Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvIT) sponsored by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), has engaged General Management Consultants (GMCs) for the effective management of National Highways under its portfolio.
Registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in October 2020, NHIT currently manages 2,653 km of National Highway assets. In the first phase, the O&M of 908 km of National Highways will be managed by the newly appointed GMCs. The initiative aims to enhance asset performance, improve operational efficiency, and adopt global best practices in the management of operational highway assets.
NHIT is supported by National Highways InvIT Project Managers Private Limited (NHIPMPL), a wholly owned subsidiary of NHAI, which functions as the Project Manager. As part of the new framework, the GMCs will assist NHIPMPL in delivering end-to-end professional asset management solutions.
Under the arrangement, the consultants will carry out daily, weekly and monthly inspections of National Highway assets using both visual inspections and modern equipment-based evaluation techniques. Based on these assessments, they will identify maintenance requirements, recommend safety interventions, oversee defect rectification works, suggest capacity augmentation measures, and undertake other improvement initiatives aimed at enhancing the comfort and safety of road users.
The GMCs will also manage the procurement of specialised contractors and agencies, supervise the execution of maintenance works, certify completed works, recommend improvements in toll plaza operations and traffic management, and ensure timely reporting and compliance with SEBI’s InvIT regulations.
NHAI said the initiative reflects its continued focus on adopting global best practices in the lifecycle management of National Highway infrastructure. It is also expected to create a dedicated ecosystem of professional O&M consultants with specialised expertise in highway asset management while generating new opportunities for business, innovation, and employment in the infrastructure sector.
Building on this initiative, NHAI also plans to develop a robust ecosystem of specialised Operations and Maintenance contractors to further strengthen asset management capabilities across the National Highway network. The new model is expected to enhance governance standards, improve operational efficiencies, strengthen regulatory compliance, reinforce investor confidence, and attract greater domestic and global investment in India’s National Highway assets.
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