Highway developers and infrastructure builders have urged the Prime Minister to introduce immediate reforms in Public–Private Partnership (PPP) project timelines and arbitration frameworks to address growing execution and financial stress in the sector. Industry representatives say that rigid contractual deadlines, combined with prolonged dispute resolution processes, are slowing down critical road and highway projects across the country.
According to leading construction firms and concessionaires, PPP highway projects often face delays due to land acquisition hurdles, environmental clearances, shifting regulatory requirements, and funding bottlenecks — many of which are beyond the control of developers. Despite these challenges, existing contracts impose strict milestone timelines and penalty clauses, increasing financial risk and discouraging private participation.
Builders have recommended more flexible timeline extensions linked to approval and clearance delays, along with faster decision-making mechanisms within government departments. They also emphasized the need to streamline arbitration rules, noting that current dispute resolution processes are lengthy and costly, locking up capital for years and weakening project viability.
The industry has proposed specialized infrastructure arbitration panels, time-bound award enforcement, and reduced layers of appeal to ensure quicker settlements. They argue that predictable and fair dispute resolution will restore investor confidence and attract fresh private investment into highway expansion programs.
Experts note that PPP models remain essential for scaling national highway infrastructure without excessive public borrowing. However, contract modernization and legal reform are seen as necessary to keep projects bankable and execution-focused. Developers say timely policy support could significantly accelerate project delivery and strengthen the country’s transport network news as reported.
