A parliamentary standing committee on the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), in its report submitted to Parliament on Wednesday, flagged concerns over the reactive nature of highway maintenance budgeting, underutilisation of research and development funds, and slow progress in key projects such as port connectivity under the Bharatmala project. Parliamentary panel raises concerns over highway upkeep, R&D fund utilisation and delays in key Bharatmala port connectivity projects. (Representative photo)

The report highlighted that while overall budget utilisation might suggest good absorption of funds, there is wide variation across verticals.

“The ministry stated that budget utilisation has been consistently above 99% in recent years, with 90% utilisation expected in the current year with Rs. 870 crore pending. The Committee observes that while the aggregate capital head shows high utilisation, this figure masks significant sub-head level variations: Highway Research at 80.59% under-utilisation in 2025-26; MMLP at under 20% utilisation; and Parvatmala at 53% utilisation. The Committee is of the view that aggregate utilisation figures, while broadly positive, should not mask specific areas of persistent under-absorption,” the report said.

The standing committee on transport, tourism and culture, in its 390th report on demands for grants, recommended that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways adopt specific, measurable annual targets to reduce road crashes and fatalities under its outcome budget framework.

In the ropeway sector under the Parvatmala Pariyojana too, the committee recommended expediting notification of comprehensive national standards for safety and operations, along with a vendor development programme to boost domestic manufacturing. The report comes after the March 22 ropeway trolley crash in Chhattisgarh that resulted in the death of a woman. Currently, eight projects covering 36 km have been awarded, and five projects are under implementation, with the Varanasi Ropeway targeted for operationalisation and 10 new projects planned for award in 2026–27, the committee noted. To be sure, the ropeway is not operated by MoRTH.

On maintenance planning of highways, the committee said it continues to rely on incremental precedents rather than scientific assessment of asset deterioration, resulting in disruptions to systematic repair cycles. It noted a recurring pattern of underestimation in budget estimates (BE), followed by sharp upward revisions. In 2024–25, maintenance allocation was projected at ₹2,500 crore (BE) and later revised upward by 86.4% to ₹4,660 crore (RE). For 2025–26, the BE was ₹4,555 crore, revised to ₹4,895.02 crore, while actual expenditure till January 2026 stood at ₹3,744.31 crore, leaving around 18% to be spent in the final two months.

To address this, the committee recommended a shift to a “zero-based maintenance budgeting” framework, under which annual projections would be based on empirical data from Network Survey Vehicles, using the International Roughness Index (IRI) to assess maintenance requirements.

Highlighting capacity constraints, the committee said the ministry’s inability to effectively utilise research and development funds has led to repeated surrender of allocations. It recommended setting up a standing R&D facilitation cell to improve uptake and promote cost-effective technologies.

For better fund utilisation, the committee suggested that the National Highways Authority of India adopt a “completion-first” protocol. With projects worth ₹7.72 lakh crore underway, it said new contracts in specific regions should be awarded only after demonstrable progress in completing ongoing works, to avoid cost escalations due to interest during construction and delays.

The report also flagged delays in port connectivity projects under Bharatmala, noting that only 45% of such roads have been completed, undermining the objectives of the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan. It recommended creating a joint port connectivity mission with the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, led by a senior nodal officer to coordinate land acquisition and expedite coastal regulation zone clearances.

To accelerate the development of multi-modal logistics parks, the committee suggested exploring land pooling models and ensuring rail connectivity approvals are secured before awarding contracts to reduce mid-project coordination risks.

On financing, the panel proposed exploring a monetisation reserve fund to cushion capital expenditure against market volatility by setting aside surplus proceeds from asset monetisation in favourable years.

The committee emphasised that shifting focus from kilometres constructed to measurable outcomes would help ensure that infrastructure spending delivers tangible benefits to citizens.