NHAI

The National Highways Authority of India or NHAI is the nodal agency of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in India. 

National Highways Authority of India was formed under the NHAI Act in 1988.

It is an autonomous organization that looks after the management of the complete network of National Highways in the country.

Headquarters of the NHAI – New Delhi. 

It operates under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. 

NHAI, signed an MoU with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the North East Centre For Technology Application and Research (NECTAR) in 2016 that allowed the use of spatial technology for highways monitoring.

It has been entrusted with the National Highways Development Project, which along with other minor projects, has vested in it 50329 km of National Highways for development, maintenance and management.

As of July, 2021, the total length of National Highways (including expressways) in the country is 1,32,499 km. While Highways/Expressways constitute only about 1.7% of the length of all roads, they carry about 40% of the road traffic.

Mandate: 

NHAI is mandated to implement the National Highways Development Project (NHDP) which is India’s largest-ever Highways Project in a phased manner and accordingly government of India has launched many initiatives to strengthen the National Highways. 

Considering the high road traffic in Highways, and increasing passenger and freight traffic, it becomes essential to improve the road network in the country.

FUNCTION OF NHAI

Developing, maintaining and managing National Highways (NH) across the country.

Collecting fees/tolls on NH, regulating and controlling the plying of vehicles on NH for proper management.

Developing and providing consultancy and construction services on a national and international level. Also, conducting research activities that help develop, maintain and manage highways or other facilities thereat.

 

Advising the Central government on issues related to NH.

Formulating and implementing schemes for NH development.

Constructing offices and residential buildings for NHAI employees.

Providing facilities and amenities to NH users necessary for the smooth flow of traffic on such highways.

Green Highways Policy – 2015

The policy aims to promote greening of highway corridors with the participation of the community, farmers, private sector, NGOs, and government institutions.

The policy envisages a strong monitoring mechanism in place by using ISRO’s Bhuvan and GAGAN satellite systems. 

Every planted tree will be counted and auditing will be done.

The project aims to make India pollution-free, curtail the number of road accidents and provide dignified employment to local people and communities.

Development of eco-friendly NH corridors across India and promoting greening is a major concern of this project.

It also includes the participation of farmers, government institutions including the Forest Department and the private sector.

Objectives: 

Reducing the impact of Air Pollution and Dust by planting trees and shrubs along the NH. 

The trees also act as a natural sink for air pollutants and arrest soil erosion at the embankment slopes. 

IWAI

Inland Waterways Authority of India

This body was created by the government of India in 1986 for regulating and developing inland waterways for shipping and navigation. The body chiefly undertakes development and maintenance projects of IWT infrastructure on national waterways. It undertakes these projects through grants from the Shipping Ministry. Its headquarters is in Noida. It also has regional offices in various other cities and towns across the country.

Inland Waterways Authority of India ( ?????? ?????????? ??????? ?????????) (IWAI) was created by Government of India on 27 October 1986 for development and regulation of Inland waterways for shipping and navigation. The Authority primarily undertakes projects for development and maintenance of Inland Waterway Terminal infrastructure on National Waterways through grant received from Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Road Transport and Highways. The head office is at Noida. The Authority also has its regional offices at Patna, Kolkata, Guwahati and Kochi and sub-offices at Prayagraj, Varanasi, Bhagalpur, Farrakka and Kollam.

TRAI

Introduction

Legal Backing: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) was established on 20^th February, 1997 by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997.

Objectives of TRAI:

• TRAI's mission is to create and nurture conditions for growth of telecommunications in the country.
• TRAI regulates telecom services including fixation/revision of tariffs for telecom services which were earlier vested in the Central Government.
• It also aims to provide a fair and transparent policy environment which promotes a level playing field and facilitates fair competition.

Headquarters: The head office of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is located at New Delhi.

 

Composition of TRAI

Members: The TRAI consists of a Chairperson, two whole-time members and two part-time members, all of which are appointed by the Government of India.

Tenure of Members: The Chairperson and other members shall hold their office for a term of three years or till the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.

Chairperson: The Chairperson has the powers of general superintendence.

• He/She presides over the meetings of the TRAI.

Vice-Chairperson: The Central Government may appoint one of the members of the Authority as the Vice-Chairperson of TRAI.

• The vice-chairperson exercises and discharges the powers and functions of the Chairperson in his/her absence.

REMOVAL OF MEMBERS

 The Central Government is empowered to remove any member of the TRAI, if he/she:

• has been adjudged an insolvent
• has been convicted of an offence which involves moral turpitude
• has become physically or mentally incapable of acting as a member
• has abused his/her position; rendering his/her continuance in office prejudicial to the public interest.

TRAI MEATINGS

The Chairperson has the power of organising the meetings at times. He/She presides over the meetings.

In the absence of the chairperson, the vice-chairperson presides over the meetings.

In the absence of a vice-chairperson, any member can be chosen from the authority to preside over the meeting.

The decisions in the meetings are taken by the majority vote of the members present.

In the event of an equality of votes, the Chairperson (or the member presiding the meeting) gives a second or casting vote.

 

FUNCTIONS OF TRAI

Makes Recommendations: The function of the TRAI is to make recommendations on the following matters:

Need for introduction of new service provider.

Revocation of license for non-compliance of terms and conditions of licence.

Measures to facilitate competition and promote efficiency in the operation of telecommunication services to facilitate their growth.

Technological improvements in the services provided by the service providers.

Discharge of Responsibilities: The TRAI is responsible for discharging the following functions:

Ensuring the compliance of terms and conditions of licence.

Ensuring the technical compatibility and effective interconnection between different service providers.

Laying down the standards of quality of service to be provided by the service providers.

Ensuring the quality of service and conducting the periodical surveys of such services.

Timely and officially notifying the rates at which the telecommunication services within India and outside India shall be provided under the TRAI Act, 1997.

 

Non-Binding Recommendations: The recommendations of the TRAI are not binding upon the Central Government.

If the Central Government does not accept any recommendation of the TRAI or needs modifications, it refers the recommendation back to the Authority for its reconsideration.

The TRAI forwards to the Central Government its recommendation after considering the reference made by that Government within 15 days.

 

POWERS OF TRAI

Order for Furnishing Information: It can call upon any service provider to furnish in writing the information or explanation relating to its affairs as the Authority may require.

Appointments for Inquiry: The Authority may appoint one or more persons to make an inquiry in relation to the affairs of any service provider.

Order for Inspection: It is empowered to direct any of its officers or employees to inspect the books of accounts or other documents of any service provider.

Issue Directions to Service Providers: The Authority shall have the power to issue such directions to service providers as it may consider necessary for proper functioning by service providers.

 

Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal

Amendment in the TRAI Act, 1997: The TRAI Act was amended in 2000 which established a Telecommunications Dispute Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) to take over the adjudicatory and disputes functions from TRAI.

Objectives: TDSAT was set up to adjudicate any dispute between:

A licensor and a licensee

Two or more service providers

A service provider and a group of consumers

It was also established to hear and dispose of appeals against any direction, decision or order of TRAI.

 

 

 

Composition: The TDSAT consists of a Chairperson and two other members, all to be appointed by the Central Government.

The selection of members is done by the Central Government in consultation with the Chief Justice of India.

 

Removal of Members: The conditions for removal of any member of the Tribunal are the same as those of the TRAI.

Jurisdiction of TDSAT: The civil courts do not have jurisdiction to entertain any matter which the TDSAT is empowered to determine.

An order passed by TDSAT is executable as a decree of civil court; the Tribunal has all the powers of a civil court.

It is not bound by the procedure laid down by the Code of Civil Procedure but guided by the principles of natural justice.

The Tribunal has the powers to regulate its own procedure.

 

DGCA

About Directorate General of Civil Aviation

It is the statutory body formed under the Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020.

It investigates aviation accidents and incidents, maintains all regulations related to aviation and is responsible for issuance of licenses pertaining to aviation like PPL's, SPL's and CPL's in India.

The Government of India is planning to replace the organisation with a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), modelled on the lines of the American Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

FUNCTIONS OF DGCA

Registration of civil aircraft

Certification of airports

Licensing to pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers, air traffic controllers and flight engineers, and conducting examinations and checks for that purpose

Formulation of standards of airworthiness for civil aircraft registered in India and grant of certificates of airworthiness to such aircraft

Conducting investigation into incidents and serious incidents involving aircraft up to 2250 kg AUW and taking accident prevention measures, including formulation of implementation of Safety Aviation Management Programmes

 

Directorate General of Shipping

The Directorate General of Shipping, India is an attached office under the Ministry of Shipping, Government of India, responsible for life, health, vessel and the environment for Indian registered ships and ships at Indian ports. The Directorate, is located in Mumbai and led by Director General of Shipping Mr. Amitabh Kumar, IRS and Additional Secretary to the Government of India.

 

FUNCTIONS

The main job for the directorate is to ensure that Indian ships and shipping companies meet high safety- and environmental standards, to ensure that Indian seamen have high qualifications and good working- and living conditions, and to ensure that foreign ships in Indian territory and ports meet international rules.

The Director General of Shipping is vested with statutory powers under Section 7 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958, and is responsible for implementation of the provisions of the Act.

It ensures implementation of various international Conventions, relating to safely SOLAS, (International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea) requirements for prevention of pollution, MARPOL 73/78 and other mandatory requirements of International Maritime Organization.

 

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