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Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has indicated that the government may require complete land acquisition before granting approval to new national highway projects, tightening existing norms. Speaking at an industry event in New Delhi, he highlighted persistent challenges related to land acquisition and environmental clearances that delay project execution. The ministry currently mandates 90 per cent land readiness before project commencement but is now considering raising this threshold to 100 per cent. Gadkari also pointed to highway assets worth INR 15 lakh crore available for monetisation and flagged concerns over the quality of detailed project reports, suggesting greater accountability and expertise in project planning.
Nitin Gadkari has proposed that new national highway projects should not be approved unless 100 per cent of the required land has been acquired, signalling a possible tightening of project approval norms to address delays in execution. Advertisement
Speaking at the 17th CIDC Vishwakarma Awards & Exhibitions on Viksit Bharat 2047 in New Delhi on Friday, the minister stated that land acquisition, along with forest and environmental clearances, continues to be a major constraint in the timely delivery of highway infrastructure. He indicated that while the ministry had earlier mandated a minimum of 90 per cent land acquisition before the commencement of projects, there is now a need to ensure complete land readiness before assigning an appointed date.
The appointed date marks the formal start of a highway project and indicates that essential prerequisites, including land acquisition and statutory approvals, have been sufficiently secured. According to Gadkari, enforcing a 100 per cent land acquisition requirement at this stage could help mitigate execution risks and reduce delays caused by incomplete project readiness.
The minister also highlighted the scale of assets under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, stating that highway assets valued at approximately INR 15 lakh crore are available for monetisation. This reflects the government's ongoing efforts to leverage operational infrastructure assets to raise capital for further development.
In addition to land-related challenges, Gadkari raised concerns over the quality of detailed project reports (DPRs), which serve as the technical and financial blueprint for highway construction. He suggested that consultants responsible for preparing DPRs have contributed to deficiencies in project execution, indicating that inaccuracies or gaps in planning often lead to cost escalations and construction issues.
To address this, the minister proposed that retired officials from the National Highways Authority of India could establish firms specialising in DPR preparation, leveraging their experience to improve the quality and reliability of project documentation.
Gadkari further noted that the construction sector holds significant potential and emphasised the need to reduce project costs without compromising on quality standards. His remarks come amid continued efforts by the government to streamline infrastructure development processes, enhance execution efficiency and attract investment into the road sector.
The proposed shift towards full land acquisition prior to project approval, if implemented, is expected to influence project timelines, financing structures and risk allocation across stakeholders involved in national highway development.
Source - PTI
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