NHAI Identifies 49 Districts Across Eight States as Major Highway Construction Labor Hubs
In a groundbreaking initiative, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has conducted a comprehensive mapping exercise to trace the origins of labor engaged in highway projects nationwide. The study reveals that forty-nine districts across eight states contribute a significant share of construction workers to these critical infrastructure developments.
States and Districts Identified as Primary Labor Sources
The eight states pinpointed in this first-of-its-kind mapping exercise include:
- Bihar
- Chhattisgarh
- Jharkhand
- Odisha
- Madhya Pradesh
- Rajasthan
- Uttar Pradesh
- West Bengal
NHAI officials have collected detailed information down to the village level, documenting precisely where workers travel from to reach highway construction sites across the country. This granular data collection represents an unprecedented effort in India's infrastructure sector.
Targeted Skill Development Initiative
The labor mapping serves a crucial purpose: to enable targeted skill training programs for these identified workers. According to NHAI officials, this strategic approach will significantly enhance worker employability while simultaneously improving project outcomes.
"Trained manpower in highway projects will help ensure timely completion and better quality of work," emphasized an official involved in the initiative. "Training of people working at project sites is absolutely crucial for our infrastructure development goals."
The skill development drive follows recent directions from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who instructed the road transport ministry to undertake focused training programs for both labor and supervisory staff through dedicated courses.
Comprehensive Training Framework Under Development
NHAI is currently preparing a detailed framework to train workers from the identified localities. The authority has shortlisted prominent Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), diploma colleges, and engineering institutes as potential training partners.
The implementation plan includes:
- Signing Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with selected educational institutions
- Close collaboration with highway developers to implement the training programs effectively
- Developing experienced workers (with 7-8 years of experience) as master trainers
- Appointing local NHAI project directors to oversee implementation
Funding and Support Mechanisms
The training initiative will employ a multi-stakeholder funding approach. While NHAI will provide initial seed funding, highway builders are expected to contribute through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds.
To ensure worker participation without financial hardship, trainees will receive stipends during the training period to offset any loss of daily wages. This thoughtful provision addresses one of the primary barriers to skill development among construction workers.
"Once trained, these workers will be able to secure employment anywhere and command better wages as well," explained an official familiar with the program's design.
Digital Training Resources in Development
Complementing the institutional training programs, NHAI is simultaneously developing video training capsules covering 50-60 different topics relevant to highway construction. These digital resources will provide accessible, standardized training materials that can be deployed across various project sites.
This dual approach—combining institutional partnerships with digital resources—represents a comprehensive strategy to uplift India's highway construction workforce while improving the quality and efficiency of national infrastructure projects.
