Under pressure, govt to rejig NHAI

In what seems like a panic response from the road transport and highways ministry, the government has decided to amend the National Highways Authority Act 1998. Responding to pressure from certain sections of the media on interference in the functioning of the National Highways Authority of India NHAI by the ministry, the latter has decided to make the amendments for restructuring the so-called autonomous body to save its face.

The plan to restructure the NHAI has been on the cards for the past few months even though the government has made an official announcement at a time when the ministry8217;s role in the affairs of the NHAI has come under scanner of the Delhi High Court.

According to a ministry release on Friday evening, the restructuring of NHAI includes selection of the chairman by a search committee headed by the cabinet secretary. NHAI will have six full-time members 8212; one each for finance, administration, public-private partnership, and two members for projects and one technical member. The number of part-time members would also be increased from four to six. The two additional members would be from the non-government sector, one from IITs/IIMs and the other from financial institutions. The government has also approved creation of 26 posts of chief general managers over and above the existing 13.