Search has begun for a new chief for the National Highways of Authority of India amid reports about the incumbent Chairman RP Singh having recently gotten into a controversy with the Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari.Senior officials in the Ministry of Roads, Transport and Highways denied it had anything to do with the rift and said the process has been initiated against the backdrop of the tenure of Singh ending in May.
Singh had in a letter to the ministry of roads expressed his displeasure over the minister (Gadkari) bypassing the highways authority on finalisation of the dispute-resolution mechanism for stalled projects.Gadkari had proposed to clear stalled highway projects through arbitration in a meeting with developers.
“We have invited applications for the post of NHAI chief, and it has nothing to do with alleged differences between NHAI chief and the Ministry,” said a senior official from the Ministry of Roads.