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.
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.
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.
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.
The rise was even more significant when compared to FY 2022-23, with a 45 per cent jump from Rs 1,73,000 crore.
To raise funds, the NHAI used three different methods — toll operate transfer (TOT), infrastructure investment trust (InvIT), and toll securitisation.
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.
The NHAI continues to focus on building world-class highways, which play a crucial role in India’s economic growth.
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.
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.
This marks the largest monetisation deal in the history of India’s roads sector, according to an official statement issued on March 26.
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.
(IANS)
