NHAI Directs Staggered Hours To Protect Highway Workers From Heatwave
ROADS & HIGHWAYS

NHAI Directs Staggered Hours To Protect Highway Workers From Heatwave

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has directed contractors and concessionaires to provide staggered working hours for workers involved in national highway construction to avoid peak heat between 12 pm and four pm in a bid to mitigate the heatwave effect. It has issued guidelines outlining mandatory safety protocols for construction sites, maintenance work and toll plazas under its jurisdiction. The safety measures will be implemented immediately by contractors, concessionaires and toll collection agencies to protect staff and workers.

Special emphasis has been placed on acclimatisation of workers, ensuring that new or returning personnel are gradually exposed to strenuous tasks over a period of three to five days and trained to identify and respond to heat related illnesses including heatstroke. Emergency preparedness has been strengthened and patrol ambulances will be equipped with ice packs, cold water and IV fluids to support rapid medical response. Route Patrolling Units (RPUs) have been instructed to increase monitoring frequency to assist highway users facing heat related issues and vehicular breakdowns due to overheating.

For toll operations, the authority has advised minimising outdoor exposure of personnel during peak heat hours from eleven am to three pm through optimised shift management and rotational rosters. Night hours will be utilised for administrative and maintenance activities that do not require presence in lane operations. The measures aim to balance the need for continued highway services with protection of worker health.

The directive builds on established best practices and seeks to institutionalise a consistent approach across the national highway network, with accountability placed on contractors and concessionaires for compliance. The NHAI will monitor implementation through routine reviews and coordination with RPUs to ensure timely assistance and effective response during extreme heat episodes.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has directed contractors and concessionaires to provide staggered working hours for workers involved in national highway construction to avoid peak heat between 12 pm and four pm in a bid to mitigate the heatwave effect. It has issued guidelines outlining mandatory safety protocols for construction sites, maintenance work and toll plazas under its jurisdiction. The safety measures will be implemented immediately by contractors, concessionaires and toll collection agencies to protect staff and workers. Special emphasis has been placed on acclimatisation of workers, ensuring that new or returning personnel are gradually exposed to strenuous tasks over a period of three to five days and trained to identify and respond to heat related illnesses including heatstroke. Emergency preparedness has been strengthened and patrol ambulances will be equipped with ice packs, cold water and IV fluids to support rapid medical response. Route Patrolling Units (RPUs) have been instructed to increase monitoring frequency to assist highway users facing heat related issues and vehicular breakdowns due to overheating. For toll operations, the authority has advised minimising outdoor exposure of personnel during peak heat hours from eleven am to three pm through optimised shift management and rotational rosters. Night hours will be utilised for administrative and maintenance activities that do not require presence in lane operations. The measures aim to balance the need for continued highway services with protection of worker health. The directive builds on established best practices and seeks to institutionalise a consistent approach across the national highway network, with accountability placed on contractors and concessionaires for compliance. The NHAI will monitor implementation through routine reviews and coordination with RPUs to ensure timely assistance and effective response during extreme heat episodes.

Related Stories

Gold Stories

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

KONE Opens India's First Digital Experience Centre in Pune

KONE, a global elevator and escalator manufacturer, has inaugurated its first Digital Experience Centre (DEC) in India, located in Pune. The facility aims to showcase how artificial intelligence (AI), connectivity and data-driven technologies can enhance customer experiences and improve building operations.The centre was inaugurated by Jussi Herlin, Executive Vice Chair, KONE Corporation; Philippe Delorme, President and CEO, KONE; and Nandan Nilekani, Co-founder and Chairman of the Board, Infosys.Designed as an interactive customer environment, the facility demonstrates digital solutions cover..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

CII GreenCo Launches Circularity Guidelines for Indian Industry

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) GreenCo Council has launched the CII GreenCo Circularity Guidelines – Pilot Version at the 17th CII GreenCo Waste & Resource Management Summit 2026 in Chennai. The initiative aims to strengthen resource efficiency, waste reduction and circular economy practices across Indian manufacturing and process industries.The guidelines introduce a structured framework with circularity indices covering raw materials, consumables, packaging and other resource inputs. These indicators will help industries assess existing practices, identify opportunities to ..

Next Story
Infrastructure Energy

Global Electronics Association Launches IPC-1783-CO2E Standard

The Global Electronics Association has introduced IPC-1783-CO2E, a new international standard aimed at improving consistency, transparency and comparability in product carbon footprint reporting across the electronics manufacturing industry.The standard, titled International Standard for Data Collection and Reporting of CO2 Equivalent (CO2e) Emissions for the Electronics Manufacturing Supply Chain, provides industry-specific guidance for collecting, estimating and reporting carbon emissions data.With increasing regulatory requirements and customer expectations, electronics manufacturers face c..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

SPECIAL OFFER
QR Code