NHAI Holds Workshop On Litigation Management, Inter-Departmental Coordination

The workshop was chaired by NHAI Chairman Santosh Kumar Yadav and attended by senior officials from NHAI, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, and key central ministries, including Power, Railways, and the Department of Legal Affairs. The discussions focused on critical bottlenecks affecting highway development, particularly land acquisition, utility shifting, and forest and environmental clearances. The platform enabled structured deliberations aimed at identifying solutions to procedural and coordination challenges. In his opening remarks, Santosh Kumar Yadav highlighted the need for seamless inter-departmental coordination to expedite approvals and reduce delays. “Proactive collaboration and informed decision-making are essential to overcoming implementation challenges and ensuring timely delivery of projects,” he said. Addressing the inaugural session, Vishal Chauhan, Member (Administration), NHAI, outlined the objectives of the workshop and urged participants to actively engage in the sessions. He emphasised the importance of capacity building in improving institutional efficiency. The workshop featured multiple technical sessions covering the National Highways Act, 1956, land acquisition processes, litigation management, and statutory provisions under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. The event concluded with an interactive panel discussion, allowing participants to engage with experts and exchange views on practical challenges. NHAI said the workshop was part of ongoing efforts to adopt a more integrated and efficient approach to National Highway development, aligned with the government’s broader objective of building a world-class highway network. (KNN Bureau)