New DPR Guidelines for High-Speed National Highways
Guidelines establish uniform framework for planning and design, strengthen safety and facilitate seamless movement on High-Speed Corridors
UdaipurTimes, Sept 22, 2026 - The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has released comprehensive framework for the planning and designing of High-Speed Access-Controlled National Highways, other than Expressways. The guidelines seek to standardise Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) of high-speed National Highway corridors and will apply to all upcoming 4/6 lane Greenfield and Brownfield High-Speed Access-Controlled National Highways, according to a government press release.
The aim is to bring greater consistency in technical standards, strengthen road safety, improve operational efficiency across the National Highway network in line with the government’s vision of development of 50,000 km of access-controlled High-Speed Corridors under Viksit Bharat 2047.
Currently, there are no separate standards and specifications governing planning and designing of access control High-Speed access controlled National Highways.
A key focus of the guidelines is on incorporation of additional safety measures appropriate with high-speed traffic conditions on corridors. Special provisions have been prescribed for advance notification of exits and entries, enabling National Highway users to anticipate and safely navigate upcoming access and egress points.
The lane configuration of the High-Speed National Highways will be standardised based on detailed traffic assessment. Corridors with traffic-flow up to 15,000 vehicles with four-lane highway and four lane structures will have width of 60 metres. Similarly, corridors having traffic-flow between 15,000-25,000 vehicles with four-lane highway and six lane structures will have width of 70 metres. Also, Highways with traffic-flow between 25,000–40,000 vehicles will have width of 70 metres for six-lane highway and six-lane structures configuration.
Interchanges with ramps will be provided at crossings with Expressways, National Highways, State Highways and important arterial roads generating substantial traffic, as well as roads providing connectivity to major traffic-generating destinations.
To strengthen access control and prevent encroachments, unauthorised access and entry of stray cattle onto High-Speed Corridors, the guidelines prescribe construction of a 1-metre-high boundary wall along the outer edge of the corridor.
