To streamline one of the country’s busiest highway corridors, the Centre has entrusted the entire stretch of National Highway-48 falling within the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
The decision was formalised through two Gazette notifications issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) on June 22, 2026, under Section 11 of the National Highways Authority of India Act, 1988.
According to notification, the NHAI has been entrusted with the Dhaula Kuan (Delhi)–Delhi/Haryana border section of the NH-48, covering the entire national highway stretch located within Delhi.
The move effectively places the complete Delhi portion of the NH-48 under the authority’s control for development, maintenance and management, consolidating responsibility for a corridor that serves as a vital gateway between the national capital and neighbouring states.
Earlier entry omitted
In a separate notification issued the same day, the Centre amended an earlier 1999 notification and omitted the entry relating to the Delhi-to-Delhi/Haryana border section from km 0 to km 11. Officials said the amendment clears the way for the fresh entrustment of the entire NH-48 stretch in Delhi to the NHAI under the latest notification, ensuring administrative clarity and a single agency’s oversight over the corridor.
Strategic highway corridor
The NH-48 is among India’s most heavily trafficked national highways, connecting Delhi with Gurugram, Jaipur, Ahmedabad and Mumbai. The route carries a substantial volume of passenger vehicles, freight traffic and interstate movement every day. Within Delhi, the corridor passes through key urban stretches and acts as a critical link between the capital and Haryana, making it one of the most strategically significant highway segments in the National Capital Region (NCR).
Implications for mgmt
The entrustment is expected to strengthen NHAI’s role in planning, executing and maintaining infrastructure works along the corridor. With a single agency overseeing the entire Delhi stretch, authorities are expected to have greater operational flexibility in undertaking road improvement works, traffic management measures and future capacity augmentation projects.
