Next NHAI chief can be from private sector

The Union road transport ministry has thrown open the post of the chairman of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to top private sector honchos in the infrastructure sector.

The government contends the move will help understand private sector issues better while awarding highway projects.

“Having private sector on the NHAI board will help address the private sector concerns and will also speed up awarding of the projects,” said a senior ministry official.

Of the 7,300 km targeted for the current financial year, NHAI has awarded around 5,000 km till date.

According to the new guidelines, CEOs, directors and those holding equivalent positions in public or private sector infrastructure companies or infrastructure finance companies having net worth of Rs2,000 crore will be eligible to apply for the post. The person must also have professional knowledge and experience in infrastructure finance.

Secretary and additional secretary level officials are already eligible to apply.

The catch, however, is that the candidature of applicants from the private sector will be considered only after a cooling off period of two years, after he has resigned from his job at an entity having dealings with the NHAI.

Interested candidates may apply by February 21.

The pay scale is Rs80,000 plus benefits.

The post of NHAI chairman has been lying vacant for over a year now, and the transport secretary had been doubling up as the helmsman. The last full-time chairman, Brijeshwar Singh, retired in December 2010.