MoRTH Extends National Highway Project Timeline Up to 6 Years, Revises EPC, HAM and BOT Norms

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has revised construction timelines for National Highway projects, extending the maximum duration to up to six years based on project cost, terrain complexity and structural challenges.

Under the new guidelines, the base construction period is capped at 30 months for projects with a civil cost exceeding Rs 1,500 crore. These revised timelines will apply to all projects bid out on EPC, HAM and BOT modes from May 6, 2026 onwards.

The ministry noted that earlier guidelines, in place since 2013, followed a linear approach and did not adequately account for factors such as large-scale earthwork and complex engineering requirements, often leading to unrealistic timelines, cost overruns and disputes.

To address this, additional time provisions have been introduced, including up to six months for projects involving multiple flyovers, tunnels or elevated structures, and up to 12 months for terrain-related challenges such as slope stabilisation and difficult formations.

The revised norms aim to improve project predictability, reduce arbitration risks, enhance construction quality and boost investor confidence in highway infrastructure development.