Till January in FY2021-22, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has awarded projects for 3,290 km, which is higher than the 2,483 km of projects awarded in the same period during FY2020-21. The awarded length was the highest in the past three years, compared to 3,211 km in 2019-20 and 2,222 km in 2018-19. The authority awarded 4,788 km in 2020-21, and is expected to award 5,500 km by the end of March 2022.
As part of a major bureaucratic reshuffle, Alka Upadhyaya – a 1990 batch IAS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre – was appointed Chairperson of NHAI. In this exclusive interview with the CW team, she shares insights on achieving NHAI’s set targets, key upcoming projects, vision for funding future projects, non-performing highways, and much more.
Given that the Government has indicated the need to step up construction to 50 km per day, how will the targets be achieved?
Despite losing the best construction months due to the COVID-19 related lockdown, the authority in 2020-21 constructed…
