The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has received approval of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to launch its maiden infrastructure investment trust (InvIT) to raise Rs 5,100 crore.
The SEBI-approved NHAI InvIT is expected to be launched by July 2021. In future, the authority plans to offer 19 projects worth Rs 35,000 crore under the InvIT model.
NHAI InvIT is a platform to monetise roads over the next three-five years. The initial set of roads are part of national corridors and provide excellent long-term prospects.
The trust is being set up as a private listed InvIT to attract large institutional investors. It is an investment trust that works like a mutual fund and regulated by SEBI.
In such a model, assets are placed in an InvIT where investors put in money, and income generated from such assets is paid as dividend.