12 applicants in race for NHAI chief

The process of selecting the new chairman of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will begin tomorrow.

A panel headed by Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrashekhar will interview candidates for the post, which will fall vacant next month following the retirement of present chairman Brijeshwar Singh.

Sources told PTI that there are 12 applicants for the coveted post, including present road transport secretary Brahm Dutt and existing NHAI chairman Brijeshwar Singh.

Other applicants include civil aviation secretary M Madhavan Nambiar, National Human Rights Commission secretary general KS Money and director general of foreign trade RS Gujral.
    
After the candidate's selection, the Cabinet Secretary-led panel will send the file to the appointment committee of the Cabinet for approval.
    
The process to appoint the new chairman, which started in January this year, has been marred by controversies.
    
Last time, the exercise had to be suspended as road secretary Brahm Brahm Dutt, a member of the then selection committee, became one of the applicants.
    
The NHAI, constituted by an act of Parliament, is the nodal agency for development, maintenance and management of over 70,000 km of national highways. It is the executing agency for the Road Ministry's ambitious programme aimed at laying 20 km of highways in a day.