Indian citizens will soon have access to top-tier rest and dining facilities alongside highways, akin to those found abroad. The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) plans to establish wayside amenities called ‘Highway Village’ and ‘Highway Nest’ every 50 kilometres on all new access-controlled highways across the nation. The aim is to establish this infrastructure at 1000 locations nationwide within the next five years. These Highway Villages and Nests will offer a range of amenities including restaurants, food plazas, parking areas for cars, buses, and trucks, dhabas (roadside eateries), petrol and gas stations, repair shops, restrooms, and dormitories. There will be shops selling fresh produce, local handicrafts, and goods sourced directly from farmers.
Initially, there were plans for 600 such facilities, but this number is now being ramped up to 1000. These amenities will operate under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, wherein NHAI will furnish the land and obtain all required approvals. The private sector will be responsible for developing and managing these facilities for durations ranging from 15 to 30 years.
Highway Villages will be developed on plots of more than five acres of land. Highway Nests will be constructed on parcels of less than five acres. It’s expected that Highway Villages will offer a broader range of facilities compared to Highway Nests, given their larger land area.
Land acquisition for way-side amenities will be done along with land acquisition for highways. NHAI believes that this scheme of making amenities every 50 kilometres will prove helpful in improving the experience for the people travelling on the highways. There is already a proposal to build way-side amenities on the expressways being built in the country. Providing such facilities on the highways will not only provide convenience to the passengers but will also generate employment at the local level.
This program was launched way back in 2017 by Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari.
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