National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has identified nearly 183 sites for setting up wayside amenities along national highways. These sites will be developed to provide facilities such as separate parking for cars, buses and trucks, restaurant/food court, low cost dhaba, telephone booth/ATM, fuel station & minor repair shop, rest rooms for short-stay, clean toilets, landscaping, kiosk for sale of miscellaneous sundry items, space for spreading Government welfare programme in a systematic and planned manner. Wayside amenities now form part of major highway improvement projects. 

Out of the 183 identified sites, land for 63 sites is available with NHAI and bids for 16 sites have been invited with due date of receipt in August, 2017. Bids for the remaining sites are being invited shortly. A Project Management Consultant (PMC) has been appointed to assist in the overall implementation of the project and to engage specialized firms for developing and operating these facilities. 

The Ministry grants access permission to the retail outlets located along the NHs. As per the licence agreement signed as part of granting such access permission, it is mandatory for retail outlets to provide toilet and drinking water facilities to the users. No separate funds are allocated for providing such way side amenities, etc., on NHs. 

This information was given by Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways and Shipping Shri Pon. Radhakrishnan in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today
 

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NP/MS 

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