NHAI to develop Wayside Amenities at 183 locations

The National Highways Authority of India has started the process of developing wayside amenities at  the acquired 183 locations along national highways.

The amenities will provide rest and refreshment for highway commuters during their journey.  There would be parking for cars, buses & trucks, restaurant/food court, dhaba, fuel station, minor repair shop, rest rooms for passengers, dormitories for drivers, kiosks for sale of miscellaneous sundry items etc at these sites. The facilities having an area more than five acres will be developed under the brand name ‘Highway Village’ and facilities on smaller area less than five acres will be developed with brand name ‘Highway Nest’

Out of the 183 sites available with NHAI, bids have already been invited for 34 sites.  NHAI is also in the process of inviting bids for 30 more sites by the end of August 2017, and for the remaining  sites by end of September 2017.

NHAI has called for private participation on franchise basis. Private land owners/ persons having minimum land area of more than one hectare abutting the national highways can join hands with NHAI under the brand name ‘Highway Nest’ to develop wayside amenities as a franchise of the authority.  The person will develop the facilities as per standard layouts and designs of NHAI. For this NHAI has developed three-customizable proto-types of these facilities. These are Type-1 – comprehensive facility for passengers and heavy vehicle drivers; Type-2 -facility targeting passengers only and Type-3 facility targeting truck drivers only.

The private entity will  be assisted in getting free access permission to the facility, assistance in land use conversion etc. along with co-branding, logo & signage, and will be required to sign a service level agreement with NHAI.

Gadkari also unveiled the logos of Highway Village and Highway Nest format.