Latest news with #MinistryofRoadTransport&Highways
News18
5 days ago
- News18
Coming Soon On National Highways: 5,000 New Rest Stops Every 30-40 Km With Toilets & Food Courts
Last Updated: For the development of the 5,000 rest stops — officially called wayside amenities (WSAs) — the Ministry is inviting private sector participation Long-distance travellers on Indian highways often struggle to find clean toilets, rest areas, and food options along long stretches. To address this, the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) plans to introduce at least 5,000 new rest stops, equipped with food courts, toilets, and essential traveller services every 30-40 km along national highways and expressways. For the development of the 5,000 rest stops — officially called wayside amenities (WSAs) — the Ministry is inviting private sector participation. Last week, the Ministry released a draft policy for developing and managing WSAs on private land along National Highways (NHs) and National Expressways (NEs). Stakeholders and the public have been asked to submit their comments by August 21 on the Draft Policy for Development, Operations and Management of Wayside Amenities on Private Land along NH/NE. The Ministry said its agency, National Highways Logistics Management Ltd. (NHLML), is already setting up about 900 wayside amenities on government land. The additional 5,000 WSAs will be built using a standard template as franchises of NHLML. The land offered must be vacant, with clear ownership and no legal disputes or unpaid dues, and should not lie in non-construction zones as per local development plans. Title and ownership must be clearly and unambiguously recorded in land records. Parking & Mandatory Facilities Of the total land accepted, 60% must remain open for parking, vehicle movement and landscaping while the maximum covered area will be 35% including fuel stations. Parking spaces will be free of commercial activity, including parking fees. Mandatory facilities at each WSA include: food court and restaurants, convenience store, washroom and toilet facilities, baby care room, drinking water, parking for cars/buses/trucks, and a first-aid medical facility. Each WSA must also include outlets to promote local artisans, Self Help Groups and crafts, along with washing arrangements for cars, buses and trucks. To support drivers and truckers, the government has mandated affordable dhabas, resting spaces and dormitories. Permissible Facilities Permitted additional facilities include: fuel station, EV charging station, ATM, self-laundry and cooking facilities for truckers, outdoor gym, vehicle spares and repair shops, tourist information desk, and telecom towers. The draft proposes that franchisees may establish a convenience store occupying up to 2% of the total WSA area. Land Lease Option for 30 Years If the landowner chooses not to develop, operate, or manage the WSA, the land can be leased to NHLML for 30 years. 'The NHLML will then proceed to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) inviting offers from desirable entities for development, operation and management in accordance with its standard procedure," the draft said, adding that the land owner will get annual lease rental after deducting the agency charge by NHLML. The push for widespread wayside amenities is part of the government's broader vision to make Indian highways faster, safer, and more comfortable for everyone. By 2047, a high-speed corridor every 200km is planned, ensuring seamless, reliable travel across the country. 'Building highways and access-controlled roads is critical for the nation's development, but it is equally important that long-distance travelers have access to adequate facilities. The aim of these WSAs is to ensure that Indian roads offer comfort to all users," a Ministry official told News18. First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
The Hindu
03-08-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
India's logistics cost will be down to less than 10% by December: Gadkari
Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari on Saturday (August 2, 2025) expressed confidence that India's cost of logistics would come down to less than 10% by the end of December. The lesser the logistics cost, the more competitive would be the Indian economy to take on China and the U.S., Mr. Gadkari said. China's logistics cost was about 8% and that of the U.S. 12%. To reduce the cost of logistics, Mr. Gadkari said, the required transition from fossil fuels to electric mobility and biofuels was being made at a brisk pace, while developing the pan- India highway network, and sea ports, given the fact that water was the most economical mode of transport. Speaking after virtually laying foundation for 27 road projects and inaugurating two other projects costing about ₹5,235 crore in Andhra Pradesh, Mr. Gadkari said water, power, transportation and communications were crucial for the development of any country, and a glaring example was the U.S., the reason for whose prosperity was undeniably its superior roads. Keeping this in view, the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways gave top priority to building highways that not only provide faster means of transportation but were also safe. Also, he stressed the importance of constructing sea ports, making due mention of the fact that apart from the major port in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh had a string of ports coming up along its 1,000-km-long coast with the support of Centre in tune with the priority attached by it to developing multi modal logistics hubs. Mr. Gadkari said the transport sector was in for a significant transition from the usage of conventional fuels to more of blending them with ethanol and isobutanol across the spectrum of vehicles. Even blending hydrogen with biofuels was being experimented, and that the day when all these became a reality was not far away. Also, airplanes would sooner than later start flying with ethanol as a fuel. Apart from the above road projects, the Union Minister sanctioned a greenfield highway between Hyderabad and Vijayawada, and widening the existing one to six lanes, widening of Vijayawada to Machilipatnam highway to six lanes, and four-laning of Guntur-Vinukonda highway, Guntur-Nizampatnam, Akiveedu-Digamarru, Pedana-Lakshmipuram, and Muddanur-Kadapa highways. Mr. Gadkari said the number of road accidents was quite high in A.P. as indicated by a safety audit done by the Ministry on 100 highways, and told Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan to duly focus on reducing them by making plans at the district level.
News18
30-07-2025
- Automotive
- News18
Mumbai-Delhi Expressway, India's Longest, To Be Ready By Year-End: Why It's The Path To Easy Commute
Last Updated: 'Except a small section around Surat, the entire Delhi-Mumbai expressway can be expected by year-end,' a senior official from the MoRTH told News18 The ambitious Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, which is set to reduce travel time between two cities to half, is expected to be ready by the year-end, except a small section in Gujarat, News18 has learnt. The expressway is slated for year-end completion, barring a 90-km stretch near Surat in Gujarat – spread across three packages. 'Except a small section around Surat, the entire Delhi-Mumbai expressway can be expected by year-end," a senior official from the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) told News18. Mumbai-Delhi Expressway: How much work has been completed? The data seen by News18 shows that as of July 2025, the 650 km section between Delhi and Vadodara is operational, while work on 35 km is 100 per cent completed. Another 122 km has more than 90% work completed. In the Vadodara-Mumbai section, 124 km is operational while an additional 13 km has 100% work completed. An additional 54 km section has more than 90% progress as of July 2025. The 1,386-km expressway is majorly divided into two parts — the 845-km Delhi-Vadodara section and the 450-km Vadodara-Mumbai section, including the JNPT spur. Currently, 774 km of the route is operational as against 756 km by April, the numbers show. Despite these significant completions, delays persist in the Gujarat section, particularly near Surat. Mumbai-Delhi Expressway: The delayed section Earlier this year, News18 had reported that the progress of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway on five packages with a collective length of 140 km between Surat and the Gujarat-Maharashtra border is delayed, resulting in further push for the project deadline. Three packages — 25 km, 27 km, and 35 km — had seen less than 50% progress as of July, with actual completion rates at just 5%, 10%, and 35%, respectively. If not expedited, these packages could push the project's completion beyond 2026. The remaining pending sections had already gathered pace. In April, MoRTH had announced that work on 1,156 km of the 1,386-km Delhi-Mumbai Expressway has been completed, only 20 km more than the June 2024 status of 1,136 km. India's longest expressway will reduce travel time by 50%, link cities across states Even in its partially opened state, the expressway has already surpassed all existing ones to become India's longest. The expressway links cities across Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and the National Capital Region. With an estimated cost at Rs 1 lakh crore, this new expressway is expected to halve the commute time between Delhi and Mumbai, from nearly 24 hours to 12 hours, and shorten the distance. Currently, Mumbai and Delhi are connected with NH-48 which is longer (1,440 km) as well as congested. The expressway is being developed with an 8-lane configuration with provision to expand to 12-lanes in the future, with a design speed of 120 km/hr. With most sections nearing completion, officials say the focus is now on fast-tracking the delayed Gujarat stretch to unlock the full potential of India's longest expressway — promising faster travel, reduced congestion, and a major boost to inter-state connectivity. About the Author Nivedita Singh Nivedita Singh is a data journalist and covers the Election Commission, Indian Railways and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. She has nearly seven years of experience in the news media. She tweets @ More First Published: July 30, 2025, 15:44 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
NDTV
18-07-2025
- Automotive
- NDTV
Your FASTag Could Be Blacklisted Soon, New Rule Will Hit Drivers Hard
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has strengthened its policy to report and blacklist "loose FASTags", not affixed to the vehicle's windscreen; these tags are also known as "tag-in-hand" to ensure smooth tolling operations and authenticity of the Electronic Toll Collection system. This move aims to address operational challenges caused by vehicle owners deliberately not fixing FASTags to their windscreens, leading to lane congestion, false chargebacks, and misuse in closed-loop tolling systems. Why NHAI Took This Decision NHAI's move comes ahead of the rollout of new systems like the Annual Pass and Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) tolling. NHAI took this strict decision to prevent disruptions in the Electronic Toll Collection framework, which can result in unnecessary delays at toll plazas and inconvenience to other National Highway users. With the penetration rate of FASTag exceeding 98%, this initiative aims to make toll operations more efficient, ensuring seamless and comfortable journeys for National Highway users. Process for FASTag Blacklisting According to a statement by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, to ensure timely corrective measures, NHAI has provided a dedicated email ID and has directed the Toll Collection Agencies and Concessionaires to immediately report such FASTags. Based on the reports received, NHAI will take immediate action to initiate blacklisting/hotlisting of the reported FASTags. Impact on Vehicle Owners While this initiative may require vehicle owners to be more vigilant about FASTag usage, it's unlikely to increase problems for compliant users. In fact, it should lead to a better experience for all National Highway users by reducing delays and congestion at toll plazas. What Should Common FASTag Users Do? To avoid blacklisting, FASTag users should: Ensure Proper FASTag Installation: Fix the FASTag securely to the vehicle's windscreen. Complete KYC Verification: Update your Know Your Customer (KYC) details with the issuing bank or digital wallet provider. Maintain Sufficient Balance: Keep adequate funds in the FASTag wallet to avoid insufficient balance issues. Monitor FASTag Status: Regularly check for alerts from the bank or FASTag provider. The ministry said in the statement that loose FASTags or "tag-in-hand" pose a challenge to the efficiency of Electronic Toll Collection operations. This initiative will help to make toll operations more efficient, ensuring seamless & comfortable journeys for the National Highway users.
Time of India
01-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Tamang tells NHIDCL to construct double-lane highway to connect Sikkim with Bengal, ET Infra
Advt Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on Monday told NHIDCL the need for construction of a double-lane highway to connect the Himalayan state with West Bengal's Siliguri town.A NHIDCL delegation led by managing director Krishan Kumar called on the chief minister here and discussed about improving road connectivity and ensuring greater convenience for commuters in the CM told the NHIDCL team that the existing Sevoke-Gangtok highway which connects Sikkim with West Bengal's Siliguri town continues to face challenges due to difficult terrain and weather conditions and urged them to find a long term reliable solution."Pleased to meet the delegation from NHIDCL... our discussion focused on improving road connectivity and ensuring greater convenience for commuters in the region."We addressed the ongoing issues with the existing Sevoke-Gangtok highway, which continues to face challenges due to difficult terrain and weather conditions. I emphasized the need for a long-term, reliable solution through the construction of a standard double-lane highway to ease year-round travel, especially during the monsoon season. It was encouraging to learn that NHIDCL has already engaged a consultant and is moving forward with plans for such an upgrade," Tamang said in a Facebook Sikkim CM also expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways for declaring the Melli-Singtam route as NH-210."This 23 km alternative highway has significantly improved connectivity and brought new economic opportunities to the region, offering a much-needed boost to local communities, he said.
