The Government has reportedly conveyed that all steel be allowed to be used for the National Highway construction as long as it meets the standards required for specific grades of steel. Whether produced from the ore, billets, pellets or melting of scrap, the steel proposed to be used will be tested in NABL-accredited laboratories as a third party check before approval. The Road Transport and Highways Ministry has issued orders in this regard. The move is based on the analysis and discussions with stakeholders and also technical opinion. Earlier, the contract provisions required use of steel produced by primary or integrated steel producers only. With the increase in steel prices, which can impact the cost of building national highways, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari had suggested the need to re-look at all conditions which could be restrictive, without impacting the quality of material used for highway construction.