Highways Financial News

National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) network has long sparked controversy, with protests simmering in many states. The challenges are well-documented: lack of executive transparency, excessive bureaucratic control, inadequate compensation and insufficient rehabilitation measures, leading to protracted legal disputes.

Amazon's self-driving unit Zoox agreed to recall 258 vehicles due to issues with its automated driving system that could cause unexpected hard braking, after a US investigation, according to a company filing Wednesday. The recall affects vehicles equipped with self-driving software versions released before November 5. The California-based company said it has addressed the issue by updating the software on the company-owned vehicles. In May, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened a probe into self-driving Zoox vehicles due to unexpected braking leading to two rear-end collisions that injured motorcyclists.

Road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said the government will soon come up with a new policy for toll charges on national highways, offering a reasonable concession to consumers. Replying to queries in Rajya Sabha, the minister also said that the apex committee and high-level empowered committee have recommended further deliberations for satellite-based tolling in view of security and privacy considerations, breach and overall operational control. The ministry of road transport and highways is firming up annual and lifetime charges for toll on national highways likely to be around Rs 3000 for a year and Rs 30,000 for 15 years, paid in one-go. The move is aimed at maintaining cash flow for the government while ensuring seamless travel experience at toll plazas by highway users. Responding to a question, the minister asserted that the government is spending a lot on building road infrastructure and therefore toll charges are necessary. “It is the policy of the department that when you want a good road, you have to pay for it,” Gadkari said. According to the rules of 2008, toll plaza on the same section of the national highway and in the same direction cannot be established within 60 kilometers.

Ashwini Vaishnaw said in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. Vaishnaw said maintenance of railways is different from other infrastructure like highways. He said since the tracks and wheels are made of steel and the trains are travelling at a speed of 70 to 100 km per hour, the tracks often get damaged, resulting in creation of micro fractures «If we don't repair the micro fractures regularly, there is a possibility of increased rail fractures which may lead to train accidents. That is why globally, out of 24 hours in a day, a few hours are kept for maintaining the tracks,» he said.

The administration has started preparations for works which might take more than a year to complete, such as roads and other infrastructure to manage the massive footfall that is expected. Nashik's Divisional Commissioner, Praveen Gedam told that officials from the city went to witness the preparations and learn from this year's Prayagraj Maha Kumbh mela, which concluded on February 26 in Uttar Pradesh. «Nashik officials visited the Prayagraj Maha Kumbh and studied the preparations there and on that basis, preparations have started in Nashik as well. The works which may take a year or more than that like highways or STPs (sewage treatment plants), we will do them in the first phase and the rest which are going to take less time like taking 6-8, we will start immediately after that,» Gedam told ANI. Money has been approved for the development of area from Nashik-Trimbakeshwar road, for ensuring a smooth journey for devotees when they take it.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. India’s road network is the second largest in the world and the pace of expansion shows no signs of slowing down. Over the past decade, the country’s National Highway network has grown by 60%, reaching 146,195 kilometres (km) in 2025.

tornadoes, blinding dust storms and fast-moving wildfires this weekend, leaving at least 37 people dead. Hailey Hart and her fiance Steve Romero hunkered down with their three huskies inside their 1994 Toyota Celica as a tornado ripped apart their home Saturday in Tylertown, Mississippi. Romero said he prayed out loud and hugged Hart as the car rolled onto its side, windows shattering, before it landed on its wheels again. After the twister passed, they could hear people nearby screaming for help. «It was a bad dream come true,» Romero said. Next door, Hart's grandparents crawled out from the rubble of their destroyed house after they sought shelter in a bathroom as falling trees collapsed the roof.

Local news footage showed homes with roofs torn off and large trucks overturned, while forecasters warned of additional tornadoes expected over the weekend. In Kansas, eight people were killed in a crash involving over 50 vehicles, which police attributed to low visibility during a «severe dust storm.» Missouri State Highway Patrol reported 12 storm-related deaths and released images of boats stacked on top of one another at a marina that had been destroyed. The patrol also noted downed trees, damaged buildings, and power outages caused by «tornadoes, thunderstorms, and large hail.» «It was the scariest thing I've ever been through; it was so fast, our ears were all about to burst,» said Alicia Wilson, a Missouri resident who had to evacuate her home.

Bombay High Court has upheld the mandatory use of FASTag, the electronic toll collection system, and the imposition of double toll fees for vehicles without it. The court dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Pune resident Arjun Khanapure, challenging the National Highways Authority of India's (NHAI) directive, which mandates that vehicles without FASTags pay twice the regular toll fees. Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Bharati Dangre, in their ruling on Thursday, emphasized that the implementation of FASTag is a well-considered policy decision aimed at ensuring efficient and smooth road travel. «The system of FASTag, introduced in 2014, is here to stay,» the judges remarked, stating that there was no legal basis to intervene in the Centre's policy, which is being carried out by NHAI. Khanapure had filed the PIL after NHAI's circular in February 2021, which made it mandatory for all vehicles to use FASTag to pass through toll plazas. He had urged the court to keep at least one toll lane for hybrid payment options, such as cash.

greenfield capital city Amaravati. These projects will commence immediately after the Cabinet's approval on March 17, he said in an official statement on Tuesday. «As many as 59 tenders worth nearly Rs 37,702 crore were approved for the construction of Amaravati. Nearly 20,000 people will be engaged in Amaravati development work from next month,» said Narayana. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu chaired the 45th CRDA meeting at the secretariat, where several key decisions were made regarding Amaravati's development. «Previously, tenders were invited for a total of 73 projects worth approximately Rs 48,012 crores with the approval of CRDA and the cabinet. Out of these, tenders for projects valued at Rs 37,702 crores were opened on Monday and approved in the CRDA meeting. Letters of Intent will be issued immediately for executing these projects,» Narayana said. Among these 59 projects, 22 fall under CRDA's purview, valued at around Rs 22,607 crores while 37 projects of ADC are worth approximately Rs 15,095 crores. The CRDA, which has a total of 24 projects, has invited tenders for only 22 so far, with the remaining two scheduled to be opened on March 17, he said. Additionally, tenders for 19 more projects worth Rs 16,871 crores will be invited by the end of this month. These include projects such as the NTR statue, an iconic bridge, connecting roads to the national highway and the Karakatta road (Krishan river bank road) construction.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. In the last year, I noticed a pattern in the stories that people were telling about their stock picks—and in bull markets, everyone has a story. Most stories were about companies supplying either goods or services to a government or a quasi-government entity, maybe for highways, railways, power, defence or something of that kind.

Emergency crews were trying to lift the bus back onto its wheels to see if any more victims were trapped underneath it, said William Nthladi, a spokesperson for the city's Ekurhuleni Emergency Management. The crash happened on a highway near Johannesburg's main O.R. Tambo International Airport. The bus was lying on its side near the edge of the highway. It had been transporting people from the township or Katlehong, east of Johannesburg, officials said. Nine men and three women died at the scene of the crash, with two bodies still trapped in the wreckage. Officials didn't immediately give the victims' ages. Nthladi said he also couldn't give details on the extent of the injuries sustained by the people who were hospitalized. The driver was among those taken to the hospital.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Thanjavur, famous as the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu, is a melting pot of history, architecture and myriad flavors. It is renowned as the birthplace of intricate Thanjavur art and draws visitors for its many ancient temples built during the prosperous Chola regime from the ninth to the thirteenth century.

joint search operation was successfully launched by the Assam Rifles in coordination with Manipur Police in Senapati district of Manipur as part of the ongoing efforts to maintain law and order and ensure peace in the region. During the search, a significant recovery was made, which included two bolt-action single-barrel guns, one single-barrel shotgun, and a variety of live ammunition consist of thirty-six rounds of 12-bore live rounds, twelve rounds of 12-bore special live rounds, six empty 12-bore cartridges, six live 7.62mm rounds, five live 5.56mm INSAS rounds, four live 9 mm rounds, and fifty rounds of .22 caliber live ammunition. The recovery of these weapons and ammunition marks a significant achievement for the Maram Battalion of Assam Rifles and the Manipur Police.

Speculation of a hidden pot of treasure gained momentum after a JCB excavator engaged in constructing a national highway near a dargah unearthed soil that was subsequently dumped onto the farmland of a local resident, Haroon Sheikh. Shortly after, laborers allegedly discovered metal coins that appeared to be of historical significance. Some individuals even asserted that gold and silver coins from the Mughal period had surfaced. Word of the discovery quickly spread, drawing curious villagers from nearby areas who hoped to uncover hidden treasure. The situation was further intensified by references to Burhanpur in Chhaava, which shed light on the city's rich Mughal past, including its association with a major military campaign led by Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and an alleged «gold mine.»

NITI Aayog will soon firm up the list of infrastructure projects to be monetised over the next five years. The government think-tank has invited bids for preparation of the Infrastructure Projects Pipeline and suggesting innovative project and financing structures for accelerated development of infrastructure in the country through private sector investment. “The list is to be prepared on the basis of assets or land parcels proposed by the concerned central ministries and such assets as identified by the consultant,” the Aayog said in the request for proposal (RFP) document floated to invite bids from technical consultants. The exercise is expected to be complete in five months. The asset classes and land parcels may include highways, railways, power, petroleum and natural gas, civil aviation, ports, warehousing and storage, urban infrastructure including housing and transport, coal and mines and telecom.

Sean Duffy, a former congressman and Fox News host, was confirmed as the 21st US Secretary of Transportation under President Donald Trump on 28 January 2025. At 53, he takes charge of a sprawling federal agency responsible for the nation’s highways, railways, and aviation systems. The Senate confirmed him with a 77-22 vote, reflecting bipartisan backing despite political tensions. During his confirmation, Duffy pledged to prioritise infrastructure reform, air traffic safety, and regulatory rollbacks in line with Trump’s agenda.

Electronics City elevated expressway from 11 pm to 6 am starting Wednesday until further notice. According to traffic police, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will conduct maintenance work on the expressway beginning on the night of March 5.

Federation of Civil Society (FOCS), a valley-based civil organization, will march towards the hill districts on March 8. The organization plans to march from Imphal to Senapati. Several Kuki-Zo organizations have opposed the march, warning them to stay away from Kuki areas. The Federation of Civil Society Organizations has called on all communities to support the Peace Message Rally that will be held from Imphal to Senapati (which is a Naga-dominated area). FOCS President Th. Manihar expressed appreciation for the recent initiative allowing free movement for all communities across the state’s highways and roads. He urged the removal of all red zones and buffer zones in the state and called for all people from all communities to unite once again. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has directed that free movement across the state be ensured from March 8 onwards. The Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) had announced restrictions on movement in the Kuki-Zo areas; even the Village Volunteers Eastern Zone stated that there would be no free movement in Kuki-Zo areas before the establishment of a Separate Administration/Union Territory with a legislature for the Kuki-Zo people.

Jan Vishwas Bill 2.0 to decriminalise over 100 provisions. «Our government remains steadfast in reducing regulatory burden and enhancing trust based governance to improve ease of doing business, said Sitharaman. »Through Budget announcements, we are taking various steps in making India a seamless and export-friendly economy. Where the companies are free to work on innovation, and not on regulations and penalties," added Sitharaman.