With the objective of strengthening technical supervision of National Highway projects, NHAI has made amendments to the Standard Request for Proposal (RFP) documents for deployment of Authority Engineer (AE) and Independent Engineer (IE) consultancy services, mandating minimum remuneration to be paid by the Consultancy Firms to Key Professional, Sub-Professional (Civil Engineer) and Young Professional (Civil Engineer) in future contracts.

Minimum monthly remuneration of Rs. 5.00 Lakhs has been fixed for Team Leader and Bridge/Structural Engineer, Rs. 2.50 Lakhs for Road Safety Expert and Rs. 3.50 Lakhs for Resident cum Highway Engineer, Program Schedule Reviewer, Senior Quality cum Material Expert and Senior Pavement Specialist. In addition to this, minimum monthly remuneration of Rs. 1.50 Lakhs for Sub-Professional (Civil Engineer) and Rs. 1.00 Lakhs for Young Professional (Civil Engineer) has been fixed. Payment of minimum mandated remuneration to the consultancy staff will be ensured through escrow arrangement.

Further to create structured career progression opportunities for experienced Site Engineers, NHAI has revised the policy governing engagement of Site Engineers, which limited their tenure to a maximum of five years. To ensure that these trained professionals continue to contribute to the development of the National Highway network, NHAI has incorporated specific provisions in the General Conditions of Contract (GCC) of the AE/IE consultancy RFPs.

Under the revised framework, a minimum of 20 per cent of the Sub-Professional Engineering Staff deployed by Authority Engineer and Independent Engineer consultancy firms shall comprise previously engaged Site Engineers or Young Professionals from NHAI, MoRTH or NHIDCL. The framework seeks to leverage the experience gained by these professionals in National Highway planning, construction supervision and project management, while simultaneously providing them with meaningful employment opportunities within the Highway infrastructure sector.

To further promote fair and competitive compensation, NHAI has also prescribed that professionals such as Site Engineers and Young Professionals with five years or more of relevant experience shall receive a minimum monthly remuneration of Rs. 1.50 lakhs.

To ensure the deployment of technically qualified, experienced and competent Key Professionals, NHAI has also introduced mandatory empanelment and interview requirements through the NHAI Skill Bridge portal. These provisions have been incorporated into the Consultancy Contract Agreements to strengthen the selection process and enhance the quality of professional engagement in National Highway consultancy assignments.

These reforms represent a significant step towards institutionalizing a sustainable career pathway for engineering professionals associated with National Highway development. The revised provisions will also strengthen technical capabilities of consultancy firms engaged in National Highway development by ensuring greater participation of professionals with hands-on experience in execution and supervision of National Highway projects. This, in turn, will contribute to improved project delivery, enhanced quality standards and greater operational efficiency across the National Highway framework.

By creating opportunities for experienced field engineers to transition into consultancy roles, NHAI seeks to preserve valuable technical knowledge within the sector while enhancing the quality and continuity of project supervision. NHAI remains committed to adopt progressive policy measures that promote professional excellence, attract & retain high-quality engineering talent and build institutional capacity for developing a world-class National Highway network.

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GDH/DS/HJ

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