New Delhi, Jan. 14 -- The Centre may maintain the road ministry's allocation at nearly the same level as Rs.2.72 trillion in 2025-26 in the Union Budget 2026-27, aiming to shift focus towards attracting private investment, even amid slowing highway construction, according to two officials close to the discussions.

The plan is to mobilize another Rs.80,000 crore for new construction by monetizing the National Highways Authority of India's (NHAI) operational assets via toll-operate-transfer (ToT), infrastructure investment trusts (InvIT), and securitization of upcoming assets, added the officials, on the condition of anonymity.

The Centre provided capital expenditure (capex) of Rs.2.72 trillion (revised estimates) to the ministry of road ...