Raajmarg Infra Investment Trust (RIIT) to unlock highway asset monetisation and public investment

New Delhi: The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is moving ahead with the creation of the Raajmarg Infra Investment Trust (RIIT) as a Public InvIT (Infrastructure Investment Trust) to strengthen road asset monetisation and broaden investment avenues for National Highway development, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said on Thursday.

As part of the initiative, NHAI has incorporated Raajmarg Infra Investment Managers Private Limited (RIIMPL) as the Investment Manager for the proposed InvIT.

RIIMPL is a collaborative venture with equity participation from major banks and financial institutions, including the State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, NaBFID, Axis Bank, Bajaj Finserv Ventures Ltd, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, IDBI Bank, IndusInd Bank and Yes Bank, the ministry said.

The partnership aims to unlock the monetisation potential of National Highway assets while offering a high-quality, long-term investment product, primarily targeting retail and domestic investors.

NHAI Member (Finance) NRVVMK Rajendra Kumar has been appointed Managing Director and CEO (Additional Charge) of the Investment Manager company, the ministry added.

“NHAI has established a robust record in asset monetisation. In recent years, we have successfully monetised assets worth Rs 48,995 crore through the Toll-Operate-Transfer (TOT) model and raised around Rs 43,638 crore across four rounds of Private InvITs, attracting major domestic and international investors. Over the next 3–5 years, around 1,500 km of completed and operational National Highways will be introduced into the Public InvIT, opening substantial investment avenues for the public,” NHAI Chairman Santosh Kumar Yadav said.

He added that the move would mark a new chapter in public participation in the development of India’s National Highway infrastructure.

RIIMPL will prioritise strong governance standards aligned with SEBI’s InvIT regulations, ensuring transparency, investor protection, and best-in-class reporting and compliance practices.

The first issuance of InvIT units for retail and public investors is expected to be launched in February 2026.

IANS