Gadkari Chairs State Consultation on New Highway, Urban Decongestion Policies

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) convened a State Consultation Conference at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, under the chairmanship of Union Minister Shri Nitin Gadkari. Ministers of State Shri Ajay Tamta and Shri Harsh Malhotra were also present, alongside senior officials, State Ministers, and representatives of Union Territories.

The consultation was aimed at gathering inputs from States and UTs on a series of major policy initiatives under finalization by the Central Government. These initiatives are expected to shape India’s infrastructure development, enhance regional connectivity, and improve urban planning along National Highways.

Urban Decongestion Policy: Tackling City Bottlenecks

One of the central policies under discussion was the Urban Decongestion Policy, designed to ease traffic on National Highways passing through cities with populations over one lakh.

Key measures include:

• Construction of access-controlled ring roads, bypasses, and elevated corridors.

• Integration of highway projects with city master plans to prevent unplanned urban sprawl.

• Introduction of flexible financing mechanisms, including cost-sharing models and Value Capture Financing (VCF) to speed up execution.

The policy reflects MoRTH’s emphasis on ensuring that transport infrastructure development aligns with planned urban growth and complements broader smart city initiatives.

Using Urban Waste in Highway Construction

Another key initiative is the reuse of inert waste from urban landfills in building highway embankments. This environmentally sustainable step addresses two major challenges at once—reducing construction costs and managing legacy waste.

Highlights include:

• Successful pilots at UER-II in Delhi and the Ahmedabad–Dholera Expressway, proving technical and economic feasibility.

• Mapping of upcoming NH projects with 15 major dump sites, which hold nearly 50% of India’s 1200 lakh MT legacy waste.

• Planned MoUs with municipal bodies to operationalize waste utilization at scale.

This initiative is expected to significantly reduce reliance on natural soil and promote circular economy practices in infrastructure development.

State Road Development Policy: Boosting Regional Corridors

MoRTH also unveiled the draft State Road Development Policy, aimed at upgrading high-traffic State Highways to four lanes or more.

Salient features include:

• Centre–State cost-sharing arrangements for project funding.

• Promotion of Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) to attract private investment.

• Prioritization of corridors with heavy traffic volumes to improve regional connectivity, cut travel times, and strengthen links between State and National Highways.

This policy is expected to bridge infrastructure gaps between national and state-level networks, making India’s road transport system more seamless.

Amendments to the National Highways Act, 1956

To address persistent challenges in land acquisition, MoRTH has proposed amendments to the National Highways Act, 1956. These include:

• Simplification of compensation procedures for affected landowners.

• Stronger dispute resolution mechanisms to reduce litigation delays.

• Wider public communication of land acquisition notifications.

Additionally, MoRTH plans stricter enforcement of the Control of National Highways (Land and Traffic) Act, 2002, to safeguard rights of way. Delegation of enforcement powers to District Magistrates and local authorities will allow quicker action against encroachments, ensuring faster project rollouts.

Inclusive Consultation with States and UTs

Senior MoRTH officials made detailed presentations on the objectives and features of these proposed policies, with inputs from external ministries, including the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

The consultation saw active participation from States and UTs, who shared feedback on regional priorities, administrative bottlenecks, and successful local practices. Constructive suggestions were recorded to ensure that final policies are practical, inclusive, and responsive to State needs.

Looking Ahead

Minister Nitin Gadkari emphasized that these policy initiatives are critical to India’s infrastructure vision, which seeks to balance economic growth, sustainability, and urban development. By coordinating with States and UTs, MoRTH aims to create a collaborative framework for building highways that are not only efficient but also aligned with long-term urban planning goals.

The policies, once finalized, will mark a significant step toward streamlined urban mobility, greener construction practices, and improved connectivity across India’s expanding road network.