NHAI to take up 124 NH projects in 2025-26; to cost Rs 3.5 lakh crore

The National Highways Authority of India has identified 124 national highways totalling a length of 6,376 km to be awarded in 2025-26 at an estimated cost of Rs 3.45 lakh crore. The identified projects cost in excess of Rs 500 crore.

Of these, 80 projects will be taken up under the hybrid annuity model (HAM), 32 under the engineering-procurement-construction ( EPC) mode and 12 under the build-operate-transfer (BOT) mode.

The government is of the view that the upfront declaration of identified projects will help concessionaires prepare in advance and will fast-track the awarding of contracts.

Under HAM, the government provides 40% of the project cost as construction support, while the remaining 60% is funded by the private developer, who is then repaid by the government through annuity payments over the project’s operational period.

Under EPC, the contractor is responsible for all aspects of a highway project, including design, material procurement, and construction.

Under BOT, the private entity is responsible for financing, building, and operate a highway project for a specific period after which the ownership and operation of the highway are transferred back to the government or a public authority.

Ever since the termination of the Bharatmala Pariyojana, the flagship scheme of the ministry of road transport and highways, for development of high-speed corridors and expressways, there has been a considerable slow in the awarding of contracts.

NHAI had bid out 6,003 km of highways in 2022-23 followed by 3,339 km in 2023-24 and 4,008 km in 2024-25.