NHAI Mandates Vehicle Repair, Tyre Puncture Service Facilities at Highway Rest Stops

In a move that should give highway users more peace of mind and make car breakdowns and tyre punctures on long road trips less of a hassle, wayside amenity locations along all national highways and expressways across India will now have to set up vehicle repair and tyre puncture service facilities. 

According to an official government notification published this week, National Highways Logistics Management Ltd (NHLML), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), has directed its field offices to ensure that such facilities exist or are established immediately. Lessees of official wayside amenity locations will be responsible for doing so. 

The move comes in response to observations that vehicle repair services need to be more widely available across national highways and expressways. The agency aims to help highway users access mechanical help to recover from breakdowns and emergencies, no matter where such situations occur. 

Increasing the availability of service and repair facilities will also help clear stalled vehicles, reducing delays and mitigating potential safety concerns for others. Such a move should improve the driving experience for lakhs of road users, and also reduce vehicle downtime and road blockage. 

The services should be available to everyday commuters as well as commercial and freight operators who use national highways.

NHLML aims to establish over 1,000 modern wayside amenity locations (WSAs) at strategic locations across India, which are operated by third parties on 15-30 year lease agreements through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. WSAs will be located every 40-60km along major highways. The agency currently lists 134 such locations as active, with another 511 awarded to operators and 56 still in the bidding process. 

The lease agreements allow operators to set up restaurants, washrooms, fuel stations and EV charging points, medical facilities, rest areas for truckers, and more. All locations will also feature all future village haats, or bazaars, to promote local handicrafts and support artisans. 

The NHAI envisions a world-class national highway network with infrastructure and services that promote safety and convenience for commuters and logistics networks, supporting India’s economic growth.