Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways addresses queries regarding highway maintenance, financial assistance to states for State Highways (SHs), road safety audits on National Highways (NHs), and implementation of audit recommendations. The government prioritizes NH maintenance through various contract models like BOT, HAM, EPC, TOT, InvIT and OMT, with maintenance responsibilities assigned to concessionaires or contractors. Financial assistance is provided to State Governments/UTs for State road development and maintenance under the Central Road Infrastructure Fund (CRIF) scheme. Road safety audits are mandated at all stages of NH development, with corrective measures implemented as needed.
Key Points / Main Content:
National Highway (NH) Maintenance:
* The government prioritizes maintaining the existing NH network.
* Maintenance and Repair (MR) of all NH sections are ensured through accountable maintenance agencies.
* NH development projects use Build Operate and Transfer (BOT), Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM), and Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) modes.
* Concession periods including maintenance: BOT (15-20 years), HAM (generally 15 years), TOT/InvIT (20-30 years), OMT (generally 9 years).
* Defect Liability Period (DLP) for EPC projects: 5 years for bituminous pavement, 10 years for concrete pavement.
* Maintenance works on remaining NH sections are undertaken through Performance Based Maintenance Contract (PBMC) or Short Term Maintenance Contract (STMC).
* STMC contract period: generally 1-2 years. PBMC contract period: about 5-7 years.
* Compliance is ensured through field reports and penalty provisions.
* Mobile app "NHAI One Tatpar" is used for monitoring quality and defect rectification.
* Public Grievance Portal and Rajmarg Yatra app are used for receiving complaints.
* Internal mechanism addresses complaints from social media and other sources.
State Highway (SH) Development and Maintenance:
* Development and maintenance of SHs is the responsibility of State/UT Governments.
* Financial assistance is provided to States/UTs under the Central Road Infrastructure Fund (CRIF) scheme.
* Annexure provides State/UT-wise details of accrual and release of funds under CRIF for the last three years (2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25).
Road Safety Audits:
* Road safety audits are mandated at all stages of NH projects (design, construction, operation).
* Independent road safety experts are engaged.
* Consultants/Engineers supervise works, conduct road safety inspections, and suggest improvements.
* Executing agencies and third-party auditors ensure quality and adherence to standards.
* Deficiencies are brought to the attention of Concessionaires/Contractors for corrective measures.
Impact Analysis:
Central Government (Ministry of Road Transport and Highways):
* Impact: Responsible for formulating and implementing policies for NH maintenance and providing financial assistance to states.
* Action Required: Ensure effective monitoring of NH maintenance through various contract models, address public grievances, and allocate funds to states under CRIF.
State Governments/Union Territories:
* Impact: Responsible for the development and maintenance of SHs with financial assistance from the Central Government.
* Action Required: Utilize funds allocated under CRIF for State road development and maintenance, and ensure timely completion of projects.
Concessionaires/Contractors:
* Impact: Responsible for the maintenance and quality of NHs under various contract agreements.
* Action Required: Adhere to contract provisions, rectify defects within stipulated timelines, and ensure compliance with road safety standards.
Citizens/Road Users:
* Impact: Affected by the quality of NHs and SHs and the effectiveness of road safety measures.
* Action Required: Utilize Public Grievance Portal and Rajmarg Yatra app to report issues and provide feedback regarding NH maintenance and road safety.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways: The Indian government ministry responsible for the development and maintenance of National Highways.
National Highways NHs: The highways under the purview of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
State Highways SHs: Highways that are the responsibility of the State Governments Union Territories.
Maharashtra: A state in India, specifically mentioned regarding financial assistance for State Highways.
Madhya Pradesh: A state in India, specifically mentioned regarding financial assistance for State Highways.
Central Road Infrastructure Fund CRIF: A fund used by the Indian Government to allocate funds to State Governments and Union Territories for development and maintenance of State Roads.
Build Operate and Transfer BOT: One of the modes for executing National Highways development projects.
Hybrid Annuity Model HAM: One of the modes for executing National Highways development projects.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4618
ANSWERED ON 21ST AUGUST, 2025
ASSISTANCE TO STATES FOR MAINTENANCE OF HIGHWAYS
†4618. SHRI SANJAY HARIBHAU JADHAV:
SHRI SHRIRANG APPA CHANDU BARNE:
SHRI SANJAY UTTAMRAO DESHMUKH:
SMT. BHARTI PARDHI:
Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार् ग मंत्री
be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has a comprehensive long-term policy
for highway maintenance that includes preventive measures,
regular inspections and a robust grievance redressal mechanism
and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the Union Government is providing financial assistance
to the State Governments for the maintenance and improvement of
State Highways (SHs), if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether any financial assistance has been provided for
maintenance and improvement of SHs to State Governments during
the last three years and if so, the details thereof, State-wise,
particularly to Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh;
(d) the frequency and scope of road safety audits conducted on
National Highways (NHs); and
(e) the extent to which the recommendations of the said audits have
been effectively implemented to improve safety features and reduce
accidents?ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)
(a) The Government in Ministry of Road Transport and
Highways is primarily responsible for development and maintenance
of National Highways (NHs). The Government has prioritized the
maintenance of existing NH network and inter-alia evolved a
mechanism to ensure Maintenance and Repair (M&R) of all NHs
sections through accountable maintenance agency.
NHs development projects are executed on mainly three
modes i.e. (i) Build Operate and Transfer (BOT), (ii) Hybrid Annuity
Model (HAM) and (iii) Engineering Procurement and Construction
(EPC). Concession period including maintenance for projects on
Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) is 15 to 20 years and on Hybrid
Annuity Model (HAM) is generally 15 years. Concessionaire is
responsible for maintenance of the respective NHs stretches within
the concession period of the project. Only in case of EPC projects,
Defect Liability Period (DLP) is 5 years for the bituminous pavement
works and 10 years for concrete pavement works.
For Toll-Operate-Transfer (TOT) and InvIT (Infrastructure
Investment Trust) projects, concession period including
maintenance is 20 to 30 years. Concession period for Projects on
Operate, Maintain and Transfer (OMT) is generally 9 years.
For all remaining sections of NHs stretches, where DLP has
ended or is not under any concession period of BOT/HAM/TOT/InvIT
project, Government has taken a policy decision to undertake
maintenance works through Performance Based Maintenance
Contract (PBMC) or Short Term Maintenance Contract (STMC). While
STMC works are generally undertaken for a contract period of 1-2
year, PBMC works are undertaken for a contract period of about 5-7
years.Repair of identified defects / issues in the road condition as
well as other maintenance / repair works are completed by the
Contractor / Concessionaire within the stipulated timeline as per
provisions of the Contract. Compliance is ensured through regular
field reports and penalty provisions incorporated in the Contract
documents for action against defaulting Contractor /
Concessionaire.
The Government has initiated monitoring of the quality
including defect rectification in NHs projects through mobile based
application named NHAI One / Tatpar. This app is used by Field
officers / Engineers / Contractors / Concessionaires directly from
onsite, through digital reporting of daily and monthly defects,
submission of geo-tagged and time-stamped photos for inspections
and digital uploading of test results.
The Government has also established system of receiving
complaints through Public Grievance Portal, mobile based Rajmarg
Yatra app for citizen feedback regarding issues / grievances related
to National Highways (NHs) including the quality and maintenance
issues. Further, for complaints received from various Social Media
Platforms including complaints received from other sources about
various issues concerning National Highways including issues
related to quality of construction and maintenance, the Government
has set up an internal mechanism to take cognizance of these
complaints through web portal towards ensuring that necessary
corrective actions are taken up by the Officials / Concessionaires /
Contractors for the NHs projects.
(b) and (c) Development and maintenance of State Roads, including
State Highways (SHs), is the responsibility of the concerned State /
Union Territory (UT) Government.
However, the Government allocates funds to the State
Governments / UTs for development and maintenance of State
Roads under the Central Road & Infrastructure Fund (CRIF) Scheme
as per the provisions of the amended CRIF Act, 2000. State / UT -
wise details of accrual and release of funds for development andmaintenance of State roads under CRIF Scheme during the last
three years, including for the States of Maharashtra and Madhya
Pradesh, are at Annexure.
(d) and (e) Government has mandated road safety audit at all stages
(design stage, construction stage, while opening to traffic and
during operations) through engagement of independent road safety
expert for improving road safety on NHs.
Further, Consultants (Authority’s Engineer / Independent
Engineer) are appointed by executing agencies for day-to-day
supervision of the works at site, which also has a road safety expert
for carrying out road safety related inspections and giving
suggestive measures for its improvements.
Officials of executing agencies as well as Independent Third-
Party Auditors undertake inspections time-to-time and ensure
adherence of conformity of quality of construction by the
Concessionaire / Contractor. Deficiencies, if any, observed during
such examination / supervision are brought to the notice of the
Concessionaires / Contractors for taking up necessary corrective
measures. If any additional measures are recommended, then such
improvement works are taken up either as part of the project or as
an independent work.ANNEXURE
ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (b) AND (c) OF LOK
SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4618 ANSWERED ON
21.08.2025 ASKED BY SHRI SANJAY HARIBHAU JADHAV, SHRI
SHRIRANG APPA CHANDU BARNE, SHRI SANJAY UTTAMRAO
DESHMUKH AND SMT. BHARTI PARDHI REGARDING ASSISTANCE
TO STATES FOR MAINTENANCE OF HIGHWAYS
State / UT - wise details of accrual and release of funds for
development and maintenance of State roads under CRIF Scheme
during the last three years, including for the States of Maharashtra
and Madhya Pradesh: -
Amount in ₹ Crore
Sr. 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
State/UT
No. Accrual Release Accrual# Release# Accrual# Release#
1 Andhra Pradesh 380.19 356.55 420.10 485.48 420.00 322.56
2 Arunachal Pradesh 147.65 183.63 167.75 238.00 168.04 269.13
3 Assam 169.64 122.82 194.65 223.24 193.55 222.59
4 Bihar 226.47 226.47 258.43 258.43 255.17 255.17
5 Chhattisgarh 281.12 86.92 320.19 353.60 322.62 177.28
6 Goa 16.26 0.00 18.47 48.16 17.79 29.70
7 Gujarat 509.31 249.12 586.35 73.79 585.01 680.70
8 Haryana 197.73 0.00 205.63 108.60 203.31 189.00
9 Himachal Pradesh 117.73 169.05 136.32 136.32 130.95 130.96
10 Jharkhand 184.96 81.56 207.57 192.64 208.51 251.61
11 Karnataka 513.13 465.27 608.06 660.91 608.81 453.85
12 Kerala 147.19 133.46 171.14 186.37 166.06 166.06
13 Madhya Pradesh 632.99 573.96 719.10 778.13 721.61 682.14
14 Maharashtra 783.19 1,084.15 886.63 886.63 891.52 891.52
15 Manipur 42.10 13.81 48.37 146.98 46.87 15.19
16 Meghalaya 47.51 43.08 54.83 78.42 55.37 61.55
17 Mizoram 38.20 10.96 43.62 35.60 43.86 55.45
18 Nagaland 31.31 28.39 35.54 46.09 35.79 32.09
19 Odisha 340.95 313.52 387.41 423.41 392.13 392.13
20 Punjab 176.96 106.84 195.33 72.04 195.97 174.52
21 Rajasthan 715.82 906.62 812.41 745.90 816.17 1120.67
22 Sikkim 14.09 17.04 16.27 28.04 16.18 21.72
23 Tamil Nadu 402.67 377.63 457.11 486.15 457.75 425.76
24 Telangana 304.27 275.89 335.09 366.38 335.58 335.59
25 Tripura 21.23 19.42 23.94 25.92 24.01 23.94
26 Uttar Pradesh 702.42 658.75 777.40 821.07 777.88 784.51
27 Uttarakhand 114.01 378.17 129.83 140.46 129.95 55.07
28 West Bengal 240.31 217.90 275.67 298.08 272.75 272.75
Andaman & Nicobar
29 17.49 15.81 19.75 16.68 19.75 16.06
Islands
30 Chandigarh 6.55 0.00 7.39 0.00 7.40 0.00
31 Dadra & Nagar Haveli
2.38 5.74 0.31 6.50 0.00 6.49
32 Daman & DiuAmount in ₹ Crore
Sr. State/UT 2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
No33. Delhi 32.06 0.00 36.31 36.31 0.00
34 Jammu & Kashmir 113.61 343.61 128.67 206.67 128.67 128.67
35 Ladakh 289.06 83.44 326.41 68.10 326.41 95.56
36 Puducherry 10.39 7.83 11.76 9.94 11.76 9.94
Funds to some States/UTs have been released more than the accrual of a State from the unspent balance of
previous years of that State/UT.
#Including funds allocated/released for construction of ROBs/ RUBs/ Bridges on State Roads under SETU
BANDHAN under CRIF Scheme
*****