NHAI Directive on Highway Project Documentaries
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has mandated the production of 15–20-minute documentary films for all highway projects with a value exceeding Rs 500 crore, according to a report published by The New Indian Express on 10 October 2026. No further details on implementation timelines or responsible parties were available from the single source reporting this development.
The directive applies to a substantial portion of the highway project pipeline in India. Projects India tracks 4,728 roadways and highways projects across the country, and several recently added projects already exceed the Rs 500 crore threshold that would bring them under the new requirement.
Projects Already Caught by the Rs 500 Crore Threshold
Among the projects currently tracked that would fall within scope of the directive, one of the more prominent is the Highway Project at Deori, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, promoted by NHAI itself and valued at Rs 4,262 crore, with construction already under way. Also relevant is the Road Project at Nashri-Chenani Section, NH-244, Jammu and Kashmir, valued at Rs 278.48 crore — which falls below the threshold — and the Road Project at Kharagpur-Moregram Highway in West Bengal, valued at Rs 10,247 crore, which comfortably exceeds it.
The Road Project at Panvel, Raigad, Maharashtra, promoted by the City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra Limited and valued at Rs 529.36 crore, is currently under approvals and would also come within scope once construction begins.
| Project | Promoter | Location | Value (Rs crore) | Stage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highway Project at Deori, Agra | NHAI | Agra, Uttar Pradesh | 4,262 | Construction Started |
| Road Project at Kharagpur-Moregram Highway (Pkg-I) | NHAI | Morgram, West Bengal | 10,247 | Tracked |
| Road Project at Panvel, Raigad, Maharashtra [NAINA] | City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra Limited | Raigad, Maharashtra | 529.36 | Under Approvals |
| NH-73 Punjalkatte-Charmadi Road Widening | National Highway Division (PWD/NH), Mangalore | Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka | 390 | Construction Started |
Scale of the Roadways and Highways Pipeline in India
The NHAI directive lands against a backdrop of a large and active project pipeline. Of the 4,728 roadways and highways projects tracked by Projects India, 1,939 are currently under approvals, 1,617 are at the planning stage, and 964 have construction under way. A further 107 are recorded as completed, while 50 are at an early or announced stage and 22 have received approvals.
Geographically, Maharashtra has the highest concentration of tracked projects at 820, followed by Odisha with 622, Jharkhand with 367, Madhya Pradesh with 267, Gujarat with 257, and West Bengal with 252. Suppliers and contractors seeking volume should note that Maharashtra and Odisha together account for nearly one-third of all tracked projects in this sub-sector.
Only three projects have been added to the tracked pipeline in the last 90 days, and there are currently no open tenders recorded for the broader Infrastructure Projects sector on the platform.
NHAI's Active Project Portfolio
NHAI is among the most active promoters in the tracked pipeline. Beyond the Agra and West Bengal projects noted above, the authority is associated with a Six-Lane Highway Project at Jetpur-Gondal-Rajkot Road in Gujarat and a Road Upgradation Project at the Bakarpur Hat (NH19 Bypass)–Manikpur Section in Bihar, valued at Rs 1,000 crore. The Road Project at Nashri-Chenani Section, NH-244, in Jammu and Kashmir is valued at Rs 278.48 crore.
Recent contract awards in the highway sector include activity in Telangana and Gujarat, as covered in related coverage on Dilip Buildcon's Rs 1,647 crore NHAI road order in Telangana and G R Infraprojects' Rs 1,453.57 crore NH-56 Gujarat contract.
What this means for suppliers and contractors
The documentary mandate introduces a new deliverable for contractors and project developers working on highway projects valued above Rs 500 crore. Firms active in post-construction documentation, film production, or communications services may see demand emerge from project owners required to comply with the directive.
For suppliers and contractors evaluating where to position themselves in the highway construction market, the stage breakdown of tracked projects points to near-term opportunity concentrated in the under-approvals and planning categories, which together account for over 3,500 projects. Maharashtra, Odisha, and Jharkhand represent the three largest state-level concentrations of tracked highway projects, making them priority geographies for business development efforts.
The construction-started category — 964 projects — represents the segment where procurement of materials, equipment and services is most immediately active. Contractors monitoring this pipeline can access the full list of tracked projects across all sectors on the Projects India platform.
Frequently asked questions
What has NHAI mandated regarding highway project documentaries?
NHAI has mandated the production of 15–20-minute documentary films for all highway projects valued above Rs 500 crore, according to a report by The New Indian Express published on 10 October 2026. No further implementation details were available from the single source.
How many highway projects in India are currently tracked and under construction?
Projects India tracks 4,728 roadways and highways projects in India. Of these, 964 are at the construction-started stage, 1,939 are under approvals, and 1,617 are at the planning stage, as of the latest platform data.
Which states have the most tracked highway projects in India?
Maharashtra leads with 820 tracked highway projects, followed by Odisha with 622, Jharkhand with 367, Madhya Pradesh with 267, Gujarat with 257, and West Bengal with 252, according to Projects India platform data.
