The two-day “Chintan Shivir 2026 – A National Conclave on Highway Infrastructure” concluded today at Statue of Unity, Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, with a renewed focus on strengthening Centre-State collaboration, sharing field-level experiences and building institutional capacity for delivery of quality road infrastructure.

In his valedictory address, Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Shri V. Umashankar, said the Chintan Shivir has provided an opportunity to create a common community of the highways and road sector, enabling States and other stakeholders to share initiatives, experiences and solutions at the policy as well as implementation levels.

Shri Umashankar highlighted that the focus of infrastructure development is increasingly shifting towards quality, with the vision of Viksit Bharat requiring high-quality roads across urban and rural areas, State Highways, National Highways and Expressways.

A key outcome of the deliberations was the opportunity for States to leverage technology platforms and institutional capabilities developed at the national level. Platforms such as PM GatiShakti, Data Lake, eDAR, contractor rating systems and Bhoomi Rashi can be made available for State-level applications, with technical handholding and capacity-building support.

The AI-enabled eDAR platform, currently being used for the National Highway network, can also support States in analysing accident patterns on State and local roads and developing evidence-based interventions for improving road safety, subject to availability of relevant road data.

The deliberations also highlighted the need to strengthen the construction ecosystem through professionalisation, skill development and improved supervision. Shri Umashankar emphasised the importance of focused skill development and capacity building among construction workers to enhance construction practices and ensure better quality outcomes.

Emphasis was also placed on strengthening the quality-based selection and performance assessment of DPR consultants, Authority Engineers and Independent Engineers, with greater weightage to technical capability and past performance. These measures are aimed at addressing gaps in supervision and ensuring better project outcomes.

The conclave further discussed the scope for States to adopt innovative contracting and financing mechanisms, including Model Concession Agreements, BOT and Annuity-based models, particularly for the development of State Highways and State Expressways. The experience and expertise developed at the national level can be utilised by States through structured handholding and capacity-building.

Shri Umashankar also invited States to organise their own Chintan Shivirs and workshops, with participation from domain experts and officers to facilitate knowledge exchange and wider adoption of successful practices.

The two-day conclave featured thematic sessions on PM GatiShakti and integrated infrastructure planning; Land Acquisition and Bhoomi Rashi; Model Concession Agreements and Ratings; Designing Safe Highways, Green Highways, Road Safety and Toll Reform; and Quality Assurance and Project Monitoring.

The sessions facilitated Centre-State dialogue, exchange of best practices and identification of practical and replicable solutions to implementation challenges, reinforcing a collaborative approach towards building future-ready, safe and high-quality road infrastructure in the country.

 

 

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