In a significant move under India’s National Monetisation Plan, KKR-backed Highway Infrastructure Trust has acquired a 251 km stretch of the Hyderabad-Nagpur corridor on NH-44 in Telangana from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for ₹6,661 crore. This transaction is part of the Bundle-16 of NHAI’s toll road projects.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) announced that the financial bids for this Toll-Operate-Transfer (TOT) bundle were opened on September 18, 2024. The concession period is for 20 years, during which the concessionaire is responsible for maintaining and operating the highway stretch, and collecting toll fees from users in accordance with NH Fee Rules.
The acquisition marks another milestone in NHAI’s asset monetisation efforts, which have already crossed ₹1 lakh crore. This includes ₹48,995 crore through TOT, ₹25,900 crore through Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvIT), and ₹42,000 crore via securitisation. NHAI’s TOT model has been designed to attract private sector participation, and the Highway Authority has awarded multiple contracts to manage and operate highways on a toll-operate-transfer basis.
In FY 2023-24, NHAI awarded four TOT bundles worth ₹15,968 crore, exceeding the fiscal target of ₹10,000 crore. NHAI Chairman, Santosh Kumar Yadav, noted the success of the TOT model, highlighting its role in unlocking the value of road infrastructure and its contribution to the expansion of the national highway network.
“The government’s strong support for national monetisation targets has been crucial, and we remain committed to achieving this vision,” Yadav added.
