The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has issued new quality, safety and event-management guidelines for newly inaugurated national highway projects, including provisions for independent audits of major projects and more intensive inspections after highways open to traffic.
The move comes weeks after the Delhi–Dehradun Expressway, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April, developed potholes, cracks and a cave-in following intense rain.
The audit may examine the anticipated impact of traffic after opening, drainage and related issues. In its policy circular, NHAI said the addendum supersedes an earlier addendum issued in October 2025. Greenfield expressways, high-speed corridors, specialised projects and projects with a total capital cost of more than ₹ 2,500 crore may undergo an independent audit by a reputed third-party entity or premier institutions such as Indian Institute of Technology (IITs) and National Institute of Technology (NITs). It also says the number of officials at a function should preferably be restricted to 500 and that event preparations should be completed at least 24 hours before the programme.
