In our latest edition, we have shared the trends shaping the infrastructure landscape and key developments in projects and finance, with certain case laws highlighting the judicial perspective.

Case laws:

• Supreme Court: Absence of JV Agreement Not a Ground for Disqualification Unless
  Explicitly Required in NIT
• NH Act: Scope of Reference to Civil Court under Section 3H (4)
• OTS Not a Matter of Right: Mandatory Upfront Payment a Precondition for
  Consideration of Application
• Sanctity of Tender Process Prevails: No Alteration of BOQ Once Financial Bids Open
• NCLAT Reaffirms Mandatory Admission of Section 7 IBC Applications Upon Proof of
  Debt and Default
• Supreme Court Reaffirms: Right of Redemption Ends Once Auction Notice Is
  Published under SARFAESI Act

Quick Reads:

• Two-Year Extension Granted for Solar PLI Scheme Commissioning
• India’s Roads Get Smarter: AI Could Spot Potholes Before They Exist
• MoRTH Seeks States’ Feedback on Highway and Urban Mobility Policies

Notifications/Circulars:

• Strengthening Transparency in Bidding: NHAI Issues Guidelines for Pre-Bid Query
  Responses
• MoRTH Issues Guidelines to Streamline Arbitration Timeline Extensions in Highway
  Projects
• Strengthening Utility Shifting Framework: NHAI’s Revised Policy on Reimbursement
  of Statutory and Ancillary Charges
• Streamlining Qualification Criteria: NHAI Issues SOP on Experience Certificates for
  Similar Completed Works
• Revising the Linking Factor: NHAI Updates WPI Conversion Method for Toll Projects
• Strengthening Highway Project Delivery: NHAI Tightens RFP Provisions
• Enhancing Highway User Experience: NHAI Introduces QR Code Sign Boards and
  Horizontal Pavement Signs
• NHAI Clarifies Timing of Change in Law Payments for EPC Costs under HAM
  Projects
• Standardizing Highway Signages: NHAI Issues Guidelines on Trilingual Formats for
  Advance Direction Signs
• Draft Coal Exchange Rules, 2025: A Step Toward Competitive Coal Markets
• National Policy on Geothermal Energy, 2025: Unlocking India’s Untapped Heat Resources
• Projects
• Raising the Bar: NHAI Revises Qualification Criteria for EPC Projects