In a major move to address quality concerns in national infrastructure, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is set to launch a massive skill development program targeting the ground-level workforce. Recognizing that the bulk of highway construction is executed by private sub-contractors, the initiative aims to bridge the gap between government standards and the actual technical execution on-site.
The government’s decision stems from the increasing complexity of modern highway projects, such as smart expressways and multi-layered bridges. By standardizing the skills of the “contractual workforce,” NHAI aims to ensure that projects are not only built to high-quality specifications but also have enhanced durability. This “maintenance-first” approach is expected to reduce the long-term repair costs of national assets.
In a first-of-its-kind “Village-Level Mapping,” NHAI identified 49 districts across 8 states as primary sources of construction labor. Odisha, along with states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal, has been identified as a key regional cluster. By setting up training hubs in these locations, NHAI intends to upskill workers closer to their homes, ensuring better retention and local livelihood opportunities.
To make the program sustainable, NHAI is not just training freshers. The initiative will identify experienced workers with 7-8 years of on-site experience and upskill them as “Master Trainers.” These veterans will serve as the bridge, training new manpower directly at project sites and local institutions.