The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is planning to take on the construction and maintenance of national highway stretches directly, instead of assigning these tasks to public works departments (PWDs). This decision could potentially create a conflict between the Centre and the states. Currently, approximately 63,000 kilometres of the 1.45 lakh kilometres of the national highway network are managed by central government agencies like NHAI and NHIDCL, while the remaining 60 per cent is managed by state PWDs on behalf of the ministry.

The ministry oversees the development and maintenance of around 80,000 kilometres of national highways through PWDs. It funds these projects and pays agency charges to the PWDs. Most of these highways are either two-lane roads or two-lane roads with paved shoulders.