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NHAI to Rank Roads for Quality Service

Topics Covered: Infrastructure- Roadways.

NHAI to Rank Roads for Quality Service

NHAI has decided to undertake performance assessment and ranking of the highways in the country.

  • They are aimed to take corrective recourse, wherever needed, to improve the quality and provide a higher level of service to highway commuters.

How will it be undertaken?

The criteria for the assessment have been broadly categorised in three main heads:

  1. Highway efficiency (45%)
  2. Highway safety (35%)
  3. User services (20%)

Other parameters:

Additionally, important parameters like operating speed, access control, time taken at toll plaza, road signages, road markings, accident rate, incident response time, crash barriers, illumination, availability of Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS), functionality of structures, provision for grade-separated intersections, cleanliness, plantation, wayside amenities and customer satisfaction will also be considered while conducting the assessment.

Significance:

  • The score obtained by each Corridor in each of the parameters will provide feedback and corrective recourse for higher standards of operation, better safety and user experience to improve existing highways.
  • This will also help in identifying and filling gaps of design, standards, practices, guidelines and contract agreements for other NHAI projects.

Separate ranking for BOT, HAM and EPC projects will also be done:

  1. Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) Annuity model:

Under this, a developer builds a highway, operates it for a specified duration and transfers it back to the government.

The government starts payment to the developer after the launch of commercial operation of the project.

  1. Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) Model:

Under this model, the cost is completely borne by the government.

Government invites bids for engineering knowledge from the private players. Procurement of raw materials and construction costs are met by the government.

  1. The Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM):

In India, the new HAM is a mix of BOT Annuity and EPC models.

As per the design, the government will contribute to 40% of the project cost in the first five years through annual payments (annuity). The remaining payment will be made on the basis of the assets created and the performance of the developer.

Here, the developer has to raise the remaining 60% in the form of equity or loans. There is no toll right for the developer.

Revenue collection would be the responsibility of NHAI.

InstaLinks:

Prelims Link:

  1. About NHAI.
  2. Key functions of NHAI.
  3. NHAI vs BRO.
  4. Criteria for assessment.
  5. Difference between BOT, EPC and HAM.

Sources: pib.