NHAI to develop Highway Villages

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will develop ‘Highway Villages’ at 183 locations along National Highways across the country.

Every Highway Village will be build on an area of five acre. It will have provision for rest and refreshment for highway commuters during their journey. There will also be parking for cars, buses and trucks, restaurant/food court, dhaba, fuel station, minor repair shop, rest rooms for passengers, dormitories for drivers, kiosks for sale of miscellaneous sundry items etc at these sites.

Minister for Road Transport and Highways  Nitin Gadkari  has already unveiled the logo for “Highway Village” and “ Highway ”in New Delhi.

The ministry is also planning to develop a network of amenities at every 50 km distance on the national highways. There are plans to develop 1,000 such ‘Villages’.

Bids have already been invited for 34 sites.

NHAI has called for private participation on franchise basis. Private land owners/ persons having minimum land area of more than 1 hectare can participate in the “Highway Nest” to develop wayside amenities as a franchise of the authority. The facilties will be designed as per the standard layouts and designs of NHAI.

The Government will also promote  local handloom and handicrafts at these sites.

Road Transport and Highways Secretary Y S Malik said that the development of the wayside amenities would go a long way in making highway travel convenient for people. He said these wayside amenities will henceforth form an integral part of highways.