India to get first dedicated research centre for transportation, mobility economics
New Delhi, June 24
The National Highways Authority of India has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Council of Applied Economic Research to establish India's first permanent and independent research centre dedicated to the economics of transportation, mobility and logistics.
The proposed NHAI Centre for Economics of Transportation, Mobility and Logistics will be set up at NCAER with a founding contribution from NHAI. The initiative aims to strengthen evidence-based policymaking and support research-driven decision-making in the country's rapidly expanding road transport and logistics sector.
The MoU was signed at the NHAI headquarters in the presence of NHAI Chairman Santosh Kumar Yadav, NCAER Director General and senior officials from both organisations.
According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the centre will serve as a dedicated platform for undertaking applied economic research on transportation, mobility and logistics, generating insights to support long-term planning, investment decisions and policy formulation.
Speaking on the occasion, NHAI Chairman Santosh Kumar Yadav said the authority has been at the forefront of improving national connectivity and logistics efficiency, adding that the partnership with NCAER would help strengthen planning, investment and asset management decisions in the transportation sector.
The centre will undertake policy-oriented research across a wide range of areas, including National Highway economics, freight logistics, modal integration, regional economic impacts of highway investments, toll policy, asset monetisation, road safety interventions and technology adoption in highway operations and maintenance.
The research findings are expected to assist the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, NHAI and other government agencies in designing policies and programmes aimed at improving efficiency, sustainability and user experience across the transportation ecosystem.
Beyond research, the institution will function as a knowledge hub for the sector by publishing policy briefs, working papers and flagship reports, while also organising stakeholder consultations, workshops and academic engagements.
An Advisory Committee comprising economists, transportation specialists, public policy experts and academicians will guide the centre's work, while a separate Steering Committee constituted by NHAI will oversee research priorities and ensure alignment with policy and operational requirements.
NHAI will support the establishment and operation of the centre for a period of 10 years.
The authority said the initiative is expected to contribute to the development of a robust, modern and world-class National Highway network through informed policymaking and deeper understanding of transportation economics.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good step but will it remain a 'dedicated research centre' or become another government-funded paper-pushing exercise? Need to ensure the research actually reaches policy makers and gets implemented. Also curious if they'll study the social impact of highways on displaced families. 🤔
भाई साहब, finally some brain work behind our ambitious highway projects. We're building 40 km of highways per day but we need to know if we're building in the right places. This centre could also help reduce logistics cost from 14% of GDP to single digit. Modi ji's vision is on track. 👏
As someone who works in supply chain, this is wonderful news. Our logistics sector has been data-poor for too long. Hope they focus on modal integration—why are we moving 60% of freight by road when rail is cheaper and greener? Also need studies on EV charging infrastructure on highways. Let's hope NCAER delivers quality research.
Impressive initiative. India's highway network is expanding faster than almost anywhere in the world, but economics has to keep pace. This could become a model for other developing nations. The 10-year commitment by NHAI is key—infrastructure research needs long-term funding to be meaningful. Hope they'll also look at highway safety economics. 🛣️
Useful but I hope they also study how highways affect small businesses along the route. We saw in Maharashtra how new expressways bypassed towns and killed local commerce. Economic development isn't just about speed, it's about inclusive growth. The committee better include some geographers and sociologists too. 🌾