The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has sanctioned an additional ₹2,000 crore to the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) for National Highway works entrusted to the agency under the National Highways Original-North East scheme during the financial year 2026-27.
The sanction, issued by the ministry’s W&A Section on 19 May 2026, revises NHIDCL’s allocation under the NH(O)-NE component from ₹1,500 crore to ₹3,500 crore for the current financial year.
The funds have been allocated under the NH(O)-NE scheme to NHIDCL “for NH works entrusted to NHIDCL during the Financial Year 2026-27,” according to the sanction order.
The move indicates a sharper funding push for highway infrastructure in the Northeast, where NHIDCL handles several strategic and difficult road projects across hilly and border states.
According to the order, the total Budget Estimate provision under NH(O)-NE from the National Investment Fund for 2026-27 stands at ₹17,558 crore.
After the latest release of ₹2,000 crore to NHIDCL, the total released amount to the agency under this head has reached ₹3,500 crore.
The order states that ₹14,058 crore will remain in reserve or balance under the head of account.
The accounting head includes capital outlay on roads and bridges, national highways, road works, and the Special Accelerated Road Development Programme in North Eastern Areas financed from the National Investment Fund.
The ministry has also specified that the expenditure against the sanction should be incurred only on National Highway works entrusted to NHIDCL by the ministry.
“It shall be ensured that the expenditure against above sanction is incurred only on the NH works entrusted to NHIDCL by the Ministry,” the order said.
The sanction order also says that NHIDCL’s accounts will remain open to inspection by the sanctioning authority and audit, including audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India and internal audit by the office of the Principal Chief Controller of Accounts.
The amount will be credited through electronic transfer to NHIDCL’s account in RBI e-Kuber under SARDP for NER.
The approval is significant for the Northeast because highway development in the region often requires higher capital support due to terrain challenges, connectivity gaps, border-road priorities and the need to link remote areas with economic and administrative centres.
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