NHAI road awards at three-year low in first half of fiscal

17 Oct 2022 CW Team

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) could award only 777 km of road projects in the first half of the current financial year (April-September), which is a three-year low, rating agency Crisil said. This is also a 60 per cent drop over the corresponding period last year.

The road building authority has floated tenders worth about 2,200 km so far this fiscal, which is 36 per cent higher than the corresponding first half of the last fiscal.

"Slackened pace of execution, and highly inflated prices of key input materials owing to uncertainties arising out of global geopolitical tensions, have acted as major impediments to contract awarding momentum," Crisil analysts said in a report released last week.

Considering the ramp-up that typically happens in the fourth quarter, awarding in the second half of the financial year is expected to improve substantially. Nonetheless, awarding for the full year is still likely to be moderate.

"We expect 4,800-5,200 km of awards this fiscal, much lower than the 6,306 km awarded last fiscal," the rating agency noted.

Of the 777 km awarded in the first half of this fiscal, hybrid annuity model (HAM) projects had a 51 per cent share, while engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) accounted for the rest.

"Sharp rise in commodity prices and complex project awards in difficult terrains warranted developers to seek a higher premium to maintain their margins," the report said.

Infrastructure Urban

04 Dec 2025

ISRO’s IMAT Success Boosts Readiness for Maiden Gaganyaan Mission

Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh informed Parliament that ISRO has achieved a key milestone in its preparations for India’s first human space mission with the successful completion of the Integrated Main Parachute Airdrop Test (IMAT). He said in the Lok Sabha that the test forms a central part of the qualification campaign for the Crew Module’s parachute-based deceleration system, one of the most vital elements in human-rating the mission.According to Dr. Jitendra Singh, the IMAT recreated one of the most demanding descent conditions by intentionally del..

Gyanesh Kumar Takes Charge as Chair of International IDEA Council

Chief Election Commissioner of India Gyanesh Kumar has assumed the Chairship of the Council of Member States of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance for 2026. The ceremony in Stockholm was also attended by India’s Ambassador to Sweden, Anurag Bhushan. India, a founding member of International IDEA, has long contributed to the organisation’s governance and global democratic dialogue, and the new Chairship signals broad recognition of the Election Commission of India as a trusted and innovative election management institution.During his visit, Kumar held discuss..

Coal Mines Boost Local Growth and Support India’s Energy Self-reliance

The Magadh and Amrapali coal mines in Jharkhand are playing a pivotal role in strengthening India’s energy security, contributing nearly half of Central Coalfields Limited’s total coal production in 2024–25. Both mines support the broader goal of ensuring steady coal availability for the power sector under the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. Magadh has estimated mineable reserves of 854.91 million tonnes, while Amrapali holds 456.34 million tonne. For FY 2025–26, the two are expected to generate net sales revenues of Rs 28.12 billion and Rs 23.67 billion respectively. Local development ..