Government considering dedicated cadre for National Highway agencies in restructuring initiative

NHAI is has an expenditure of Rs 1.62 lakh crore for road building in FY24.

The government is looking to create dedicated cadre for agencies such as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL), so that executives from within these agencies can be promoted to top posts, as per reports.

As per current practice, key positions are filled by officers deputed from parent ministries and are subject to frequent transfers. The NHAI has an expenditure of Rs 1.62 lakh crore for road building in FY24.

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The changes aim to restructure national highway project agencies similar to public sector undertakings (PSUs) and allow officers to climb the organisational ladder, The Economic Times report added. A government official also told that this will help “develop a sense of ownership within NHAI and NHIDCL officers”.

Moneycontrol could not independently verify the report.

“NHAI will induct officers as deputy managers. As they get promoted deputation from state governments will not be needed,” the official added.

Borrowed strength

A second official told the paper that around one-third of NHAI staff is on deputation. “There are vacancies of around 500 more, which will also need to be filled by the deputation route. The manpower shortage is regularly being flagged," they said.

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At present, the NHAI has around 905 regular staff of whom 258 are on deputation from the Public Works Departments (PWDs), Border Roads Organisations (BRO), state governments, the central government, and Military Engineering Services (MES), the report estimated from official data.

Further, among Group A officers, of the 557 on rolls, 251 are on deputation — and 84 of these are from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.