The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has appointed General Management Consultants (GMCs) to strengthen the operations and maintenance of 2,653 km of national highway assets held under the National Highways Infra Trust (NHIT). The move is aimed at introducing a more structured and professional asset management framework across the InvIT’s highway portfolio.
In the first phase, the consultants will be responsible for managing around 908 km of highway stretches, while the remaining approximately 1,745 km will be brought under the new framework in a phased manner. The consultants will support National Highways InvIT Project Managers Private Limited (NHIPMPL) in carrying out end-to-end operations and maintenance activities across the network.
As part of their mandate, the consultants will undertake daily, weekly and monthly inspections using a combination of visual assessments and equipment-based evaluation techniques. Based on these inspections, they will identify maintenance requirements, safety improvements, defect rectification measures, capacity augmentation needs and other interventions required to enhance highway performance and user experience.
The initiative is intended to shift highway maintenance from a reactive approach to a predictive and data-driven asset management model. By adopting systematic monitoring and timely interventions, NHAI expects to improve road quality, optimise maintenance expenditure, extend the life of highway assets and ensure safer, more reliable travel for road users.
NHIT currently manages a portfolio of 28 operational national highway projects spanning 2,653 km across 12 states. The appointment of professional management consultants is expected to bring greater consistency in maintenance standards while supporting NHAI’s long-term objective of maximising the value and performance of highway assets monetised under the InvIT framework.
