NHAI eyes law tweaks to form land banks

NEW DELHI: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will seek amendments in the National Highways Act to acquire more land to create land banks to meet future requirement and to monetise them. This is being pushed as a nonconventional source for raising revenue for building and expansion of highways.

Sources said the amendments are necessary since the central law specifies that NHAI can acquire land only for highways. Section-3A, which deals with land acquisition, says: “Where the Centre is satisfied that for a public purpose any land is required for building, maintenance, management or operation of an NH or part thereof, it may, by notification in the official gazette, declare its intention to acquire such land.”