MoRTH Holds State Consultation Conference on Key Highway and Urban Infrastructure Policies
MoRTH Holds State Consultation Conference on Key Highway and Urban Infrastructure Policies
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) convened a State Consultation Conference under the chairmanship of Union Minister Shri Nitin Gadkari, in the presence of Ministers of State Shri Ajay Tamta and Shri Harsh Malhotra, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on 3rd September 2025. The consultation was aimed at seeking views and suggestions from State and UT governments on a set of key policy initiatives under finalization by the Central Government, expected to play an important role in supporting infrastructure development and coordinated urban planning along the National Highways across the country.
Detailed presentations were made by senior MoRTH officials, outlining the objectives and features of the proposed policies, with inputs from external ministries including the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.
The presentations were followed by detailed consultation sessions with representatives of State and UT governments, who shared their perspectives on regional priorities, administrative challenges and successful practices. Their perspectives and suggestions were solicited to ensure that the policies, once finalized, are practical and aligned with the needs of States and cities across the country. Various constructive suggestions have been received and would be duly considered before finalizing the policies.
- The Urban Decongestion Policy aims to reduce traffic bottlenecks on National Highways passing through cities with a population of more than one lakh by developing access-controlled ring roads, bypasses and elevated corridors. The policy emphasizes close integration with urban master plans to ensure that new highway infrastructure complements city development and helps prevent unplanned growth along corridors. It also introduces flexible financing mechanisms, including cost-sharing arrangements and innovative tools such as Value Capture Financing, to expedite project implementation.
- The Ministry is promoting the reuse of inert waste from urban landfills in the construction of highway embankments. This approach reduces dependence on precious natural soil, lowers overall construction costs and addresses the growing challenge of solid waste management in cities. Successful pilot projects, including UER-II in Delhi and Ahmedabad–Dholera Expressway, have already demonstrated the technical feasibility and economic benefits of the initiative. The Ministry has identified 15 dump sites which have about 50% of total legacy waste of 1200 lakh MT in the country. NH projects in the pipeline have been mapped with these dump sites for utilization of inert material. MoU is proposed to be signed with respective municipalities for the same.
- The State Road Development Policy is being designed to provide central support for the upgradation of high-traffic State Highways to four lanes or more. The policy proposes a cost-sharing framework between the Centre and States, complemented by Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements to attract private investment. By focusing on corridors with significant traffic volumes, the initiative seeks to improve regional connectivity, reduce travel time and strengthen linkages between national and state-level road networks.
- The Ministry has proposed amendments to the National Highways Act, 1956, to simplify land acquisition procedures and enhance transparency. These include streamlining compensation processes, strengthening dispute resolution mechanisms and ensuring wider public communication of notifications. Alongside these changes, stricter enforcement of the Control of National Highways (Land and Traffic) Act, 2002 is being emphasized to protect the right of way. Delegation of enforcement powers to local authorities such as District Magistrates will enable quicker action against encroachments and smoother implementation of projects.