Soon the road travelers will be able to enjoy the different wayside amenities along national highways. The Union Road Transport and Highway ministry is planning to develop 1000 wayside amenities on the stretch of about 50 Km along the National Highways and expressways on the land belonging to the National Highways Authority of India. The government intends to develop various amenities including toilets, restrooms, petrol pumps, food courts, parking facilities, etc. on the national highways for the commuters.
The new policy will grant the land to a private party for the development of wayside amenities on lease up to thirty years. According to the notification issued by the Road Ministry,” the period of the lease shall not be more than thirty years, and the wayside amenities have to be completely developed by the private party”
According to NHAI the wayside facilities will have an area of more than 5 acres and they will develop under that brand name of Highway village, and the areas smaller than 5 acres will be called Highway nest. Under this scheme, the government will develop 150 sites along with the NH’s and aimed at constructing various amenities such as ATM, helipads, motels, village haats, market, shopping malls, fuel stations, charging stations, separate parking facility for cars, buses, trucks and lorries, and heavy vehicles, food courts, and restaurants, restrooms for a short stay, dormitories for drivers, repair shops, including a space for spreading Government welfare program in a systematic and planned manner.
The new policy will form the part of major highway improvement projects and surely enhance the desirability to travel, which contributes to the pleasure, leisure, and enjoyments of the road travelers.
