New Delhi: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has announced that it has identified a tentative list of 24 road assets set for monetisation in the 2025-26 financial year. These assets collectively span 1,472 km, with a projected annual revenue of Rs 1,863 crore for the 2023-24 period.
The NHAI, in its office order issued on February 24, 2025, emphasized that all stakeholders, including investors and industry experts, are encouraged to provide their feedback on these identified assets. The authority also welcomed suggestions for additional assets to be included, ensuring a more comprehensive and inclusive list.
The identified assets are expected to be monetised primarily through the Toll-Operate-Transfer (TOT) mode, unless revised in the future for other monetisation methods. The TOT mode allows private players to operate tolls on highways for a specified period, after which the ownership reverts to NHAI.
Out of the 24 road projects, a significant number are spread across various states, with the distribution as follows:
- Maharashtra: 5 projects
- Jharkhand: 4 projects
- Uttar Pradesh: 3 projects
- West Bengal, Bihar, and Telangana: 2 projects each
- Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, and Odisha: 1 project each
In the current financial year, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has set an ambitious target of Rs 39,000 crore in revenue through various monetisation modes, including InvIT (Infrastructure Investment Trusts), TOT, and project-based financing.
The InvIT mode, modeled on mutual funds, allows the pooling of capital from investors to finance highway assets, which then generate cash flows over time.
The NHAI’s latest move is in line with the government’s push to enhance infrastructure funding through innovative monetisation methods. It is expected to attract both domestic and international investors while facilitating the smooth development and maintenance of India’s growing highway network.
