India's NHAI launches signal‑free corridors and mechanised highway maintenance

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) announced a plan to convert three major National Highway corridors passing through Delhi into largely signal‑free routes. The corridors – Ashram to Badarpur, Mahipalpur/Mehrauli to Gurugram, and Punjabi Bagh to Tikri Border – will receive flyovers, grade‑separations and a new interchange at Kalindi Kunj to ease congestion for commuters between Delhi, Noida, Faridabad and Haryana.

In a parallel initiative, NHAI issued technology‑driven guidelines for highway upkeep. Contractors must now use mechanised equipment for draining urban stretches, including high‑flow suction, jetting units, hydraulic grabs and dewatering pumps, to improve storm‑water management ahead of the monsoon. The authority also mandates automatic pothole‑filling, compacting and patching machines, as well as mechanised road‑sweeping devices, under performance‑based maintenance contracts. These measures aim to speed repairs, cut disruptions and sustain road quality for millions of highway users.