The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is developing a dedicated register of highways with long-term monetisation potential, aiming to strengthen its infrastructure asset pipeline and attract sustained private sector investment. The move is designed to complement its existing yearly compilation of roads identified for monetisation, but with a more strategic and future-facing outlook.
The upcoming register will include assets that may not currently be ready for monetisation but are expected to mature over time into viable revenue-generating corridors. By identifying and documenting these highways early, NHAI plans to streamline investor outreach, enable better financial planning, and strengthen public-private partnership (PPP) models under its asset recycling framework.
Officials familiar with the development said this step is part of NHAI’s broader strategy to ensure predictable returns from infrastructure projects, particularly as India pushes for robust capital inflows to fund its national highway expansion under Bharatmala and the PM Gati Shakti programme. The authority has already raised substantial funds through mechanisms like the Toll-Operate-Transfer (TOT) model and Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs).
Infrastructure finance experts believe NHAI’s move to create a long-term highway asset register will enhance transparency and reduce investment risks. By identifying assets early, global infrastructure funds and private investors can better plan financing, due diligence, and bidding. The list will assess toll viability, traffic trends, and location advantages—prioritising highways feeding industrial corridors and logistics hubs with strong potential for monetisation and sustained revenue generation.
The initiative aligns with India’s National Monetisation Pipeline, which targets ₹6 trillion in asset monetisation, with roads contributing ₹1.6 trillion by FY 2025. Officials say early asset mapping will help NHAI improve construction quality, embed climate resilience, and meet digital tolling standards. Analysts view this as a strategic shift, easing budgetary pressures while unlocking value from underutilised infrastructure.
With India poised to scale up its road infrastructure as part of the 2047 development vision, the creation of a long-term monetisation list marks a significant institutional shift. It signals a more structured, transparent, and investment-friendly approach to unlocking value from national highways, while preserving public interest and infrastructure sustainability.
