# MoRTH Caps Associate Consultant Ratings at 75% for Highway Projects 2026-08-07T06:01:28+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet The road transport ministry has revised ratings for consultants preparing detailed project reports for national highway projects, capping associate firms at 75% of the lead consultant’s score. Associate ratings will be published separately, while joint venture partners will retain full project ratings, Livemint reports. The ministry says the change aims to link scores with actual responsibility and improve accountability in highway planning. Livemint reports that highway awards fell from 12,376 km in FY23 to about 7,538 km in FY25, with new awards around 7,000 km in FY26, a seven-year low. Construction also dropped to 9,380 km in FY26. The ministry has cited poor-quality DPRs as one reason for delays and weaker awards. Industry executives said the revised system could push firms to develop stronger end-to-end capabilities. ## Coverage - livemint.com Tags: consultants, DPRs, highways, infrastructure, MoRTH Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/morth-caps-associate-consultant-ratings-at-75-for-highway-projects/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/morth-caps-associate-consultant-ratings-at-75-for-highway-projects/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.