**Executive Summary**
This document is the answer to Starred Question No. 265 in Lok Sabha, answered on December 18, 2025, regarding the systematic maintenance and repair of National Highways (NH). The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways outlines the policies and contractual models used to ensure the timely and quality upkeep of NHs across the country. The details of the answer are laid on the Table of the House.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **General Maintenance Policy:**
* The government prioritizes the maintenance of the existing National Highway network.
* A mechanism is in place to ensure Maintenance and Repair (M&R) of all NHs sections.
* This mechanism is implemented through accountable maintenance agencies.
* **Operation, Maintenance and Transfer (OMT) Projects:**
* The concession period is generally 9 years.
* Responsibilities include routine and periodic maintenance, including smooth traffic management.
* **Toll-Operate-Transfer (TOT) and Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvIT) Projects:**
* The concession period ranges from 20 to 30 years.
* The concessionaire is responsible for operation and maintenance of the NHs stretches after the handover of the project site.
* **Maintenance Activities (General):**
* Routine maintenance activities including periodic major maintenance are carried out by the Contractor / Concessionaire.
* The activities are performed as per the schedules / performance standards of maintenance within their respective concession / contract period.
* Repair of identified defects / issues in the road condition are rectified within stipulated timelines.
* Compliance to the maintenance requirements is ensured through regular field visits and inspections by the Authority Engineer (AE) / Independent Engineer (IE) and Authority officers.
* **Performance Based Maintenance Contract (PBMC) or Short Term Maintenance Contract (STMC):**
* For NHs stretches which are not part of any Contract / Concession, maintenance works are undertaken through Performance Based Maintenance Contract (PBMC) or Short Term Maintenance Contract (STMC).
* STMC works are generally undertaken for a contract period of 1-2 years.
* PBMC works are undertaken for a contract period of about 5-7 years.
**Impact Analysis**
**Concessionaires / Contractors**
* **Impact**: Responsible for maintaining NH stretches under various contractual models (OMT, TOT, InvIT, PBMC, STMC). Their duties are specified by the contract and schedules.
* **Action Required**: Adhere to the maintenance schedules and standards, rectify defects within stipulated timelines, and comply with inspections by Authority Engineer (AE) / Independent Engineer (IE) and Authority officers.
**Authority Engineer (AE) / Independent Engineer (IE) and Authority officers**
* **Impact**: Responsible for compliance with the maintenance requirements.
* **Action Required**: Conduct regular field visits and inspections to ensure maintenance quality and adherence to contractual obligations.
**Citizens (using National Highways)**
* **Impact**: Directly affected by the quality and timeliness of NH maintenance and repair.
* **Action Required**: None mentioned in the document.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways: The government ministry responsible for road transport and highways in India, answering questions about maintenance of National Highways.
National Highways (NH): The network of highways maintained and repaired according to the policies and contracts discussed.
Performance Based Maintenance Contracts (PBMC): A type of maintenance contract used for National Highways, focusing on performance standards and typically lasting 5-7 years.
Toll Operate and Transfer (TOT): A model for highway projects where concessionaires operate and maintain highways for 20-30 years.
Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvIT): A model used for highway projects similar to TOT where the concessionaire is responsible for operation and maintenance of the NHs stretches during the concession period
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 265
ANSWERED ON 18TH DECEMBER, 2025
SYSTEMATIC MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR OF NHS
*265. SHRI RAJESH VERMA:
SHRI MUKESHKUMAR CHANDRAKAANT DALAL:
Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार् ग मंत्री
be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has implemented any policy to ensure
systematic Maintenance and Repair (M&R) of National Highways in
Samastipur, Khagaria, Surat, Rajahmundry, Sagar and Ghaziabad
Parliamentary Constituency, if so, the details thereof;
(b) the role and responsibility of concessionaires or contractors in
highway maintenance under Operation, Maintenance and Transfer
(OMT) and Operation and Maintenance (O&M) contracts;
(c) whether highway stretches under Toll Operate and Transfer
(TOT) and Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvIT) models also follow
a similar maintenance responsibility framework, if so, the details
thereof;
(d) whether the Government has adopted Performance Based
Maintenance Contracts (PBMC) or Short Term Maintenance
Contracts (STMC) for other stretches and if so, the details thereof;
and
(e) the manner in which these contractual models help in ensuring
timely and quality upkeep of National Highways across the country?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)
(a) to (e) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (e) OF LOK
SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 265 ANSWERED ON 18.12.2025
ASKED BY SHRI RAJESH VERMA AND SHRI MUKESHKUMAR
CHANDRAKAANT DALAL REGARDING SYSTEMATIC MAINTENANCE
AND REPAIR OF NHS
(a) The Government has prioritized the maintenance of existing
National Highway (NH) network and inter-alia evolved a mechanism
to ensure Maintenance and Repair (M&R) of all NHs sections,
including NHs in Samastipur, Khagaria, Surat, Rajahmundry, Sagar
and Ghaziabad Parliamentary Constituency, through accountable
maintenance agency.
(b) to (e) Concession period for Projects on Operate, Maintain and
Transfer (OMT) is generally 9 years with the responsibility of routine
and periodic maintenance, including smooth traffic management,
lying with the Concessionaire.
For Toll-Operate-Transfer (TOT) and InvIT projects, concession
period is for 20 to 30 years, wherein the Concessionaire is
responsible for operation and maintenance of the NHs stretches
during the concession period after the handover of the project site
as per the terms of the Concession Agreement.
Routine maintenance activities including periodic major
maintenance as per the schedules / performance standards of
maintenance are carried out by the Contractor / Concessionaire
within their respective concession / contract period.
Repair of identified defects / issues in the road condition are
rectified by the Contractor / Concessionaire within the stipulated
timelines as per provisions of the Contract Agreement and its
Schedules [Schedule F for TOT / InvIT / OMT Projects]. Compliance
to the maintenance requirements is ensured through regular field
visits and inspections by the Authority Engineer (AE) / Independent
Engineer (IE) and Authority officers.
For all sections of NHs stretches which are not part of any
Contract / Concession, 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.
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