- NEW DELHI — The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has made
remarkable progress in developing the country's highway infrastructure, as it
constructed 5,614 kms of national highways in FY25, surpassing its target of
5,150 kms, according to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways data on
Wednesday.
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- This achievement highlights the authority’s commitment to
improving road connectivity across India. According to the Ministry, the NHAI
also recorded its highest-ever capital expenditure in a single financial year.
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- The total expenditure for highway development in FY
2024-25 reached over Rs 2,50,000 crore (provisional), exceeding the target of
Rs 2,40,000 crore.
Also read: NHAI hikes toll charges on highways and expressways across country
- This includes both government budgetary support and the
NHAI’s own resources. Compared to Rs 2,07,000 crore spent in FY 2023-24, the
expenditure saw an increase of around 21 per cent.
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- The rise was even more significant when compared to FY
2022-23, with a 45 per cent jump from Rs 1,73,000 crore.
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- To raise funds, the NHAI used three different methods --
toll operate transfer (TOT), infrastructure investment trust (InvIT), and toll
securitisation.
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- Through these monetisation efforts, the NHAI generated Rs
28,724 crore in FY 2024-25. A major milestone was the highest-ever single-round
InvIT receipt, which brought in Rs 17,738 crore.
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- The NHAI continues to focus on building world-class
highways, which play a crucial role in India’s economic growth.
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- The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has
reiterated that these infrastructure developments will not only strengthen the
road network but also boost the overall progress of the nation.
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- Meanwhile, the NHAI said last month that its arm,
National Highways Infra Trust (NHIT), has successfully completed its fourth
round of fundraising, securing an enterprise value of approximately Rs 18,380
crore.
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- This marks the largest monetisation deal in the history
of India’s roads sector, according to an official statement issued on March 26.
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- The NHIT was established in 2020 as an Infrastructure
Investment Trust (InvIT) to help the government monetise highway assets. With
this latest transaction, the total value raised across all four rounds has
crossed Rs 46,000 crore.
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