NHAI unveils New Project to Support Education for Children of Toll Plaza Employees

New Delhi, 27 August 2025: In order to support the education system of the children of toll plaza employees, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in collaboration with Vertis Infrastructure Trust announced the launch of ‘Project Aarohan’. NHAI Chairman Shri Santosh Kumar Yadav has launched the program in the presence of Dr. Zafar Khan, Executive Director and Joint CEO, Vertis Infrastructure Trust and senior NHAI officials at NHAI Headquarters in New Delhi.

This initiative has special integration to remove the financial barriers, while bridging the socio-economic divides and providing equal access to quality education for students from economically weaker sections, including girls from low-income households first-generation learners and those from Economically Weaker Sections/Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes/Other Backward Classes and minority communities.

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The first phase of Project Arohan will have a fund allocation of Rs 1 crore and will span from July 2025 to March 2026. It will be implemented by SMEC Trust’s Bharat Cares. The project aims to cover 500 students from Class 11 to the final year graduation, each receiving an annual scholarship of Rs.12,000 during FY 2025–26. 50 bright students in addition will be aspiring for postgraduate and higher studies will be supported with scholarships of Rs. 50,000 each.

The Program consist of financial aid with structured mentorship, skill building workshops, and career guidance to holistically prepare students for higher education, employment and entrepreneurship. The application process will be conducted through an online portal, requiring students to submit relevant documents like academic records, income proof, caste certificate, ID proof etc. A systematic selection process will ensure transparency and inclusivity for granting scholarships, along with continuous mentorship and progress tracking, with a renewal mechanism to support deserving students in the long term.

According to the press release, the nationwide project will reach a community of toll-plaza personnel that are deployed at a vast network of toll plazas on National Highways. With its far-reaching impact, ‘Project Aarohan’ will go a long way in providing financial assistance, career awareness and structured mentorship to the bright students of toll plaza employees across the country.