31Power of the Central Government to temporarily divest the Authority of the management of any national highway

(1) If, at any time, the Central Government is of opinion that in the public interest it is necessary or expedient so to do, it may, by order, direct the Authority to entrust the development, maintenance or management of any national highway or a part thereof with effect from such date and for such period and to such person as may be specified in the order and the Authority shall be bound to comply with such direction.

(2) Where development, maintenance or management of any national highway or part thereof is entrusted to any person specified under sub-section (1) (hereafter in this section referred to as the authorised person), the Authority shall cease to exercise and discharge all its powers and functions under this Act in relation to such national highway or part thereof and such powers and functions shall be exercised and discharged by the authorised person in accordance with the instructions, if any, which the Central Government may give to the authorised person from time to time:

Provided that no such power or function as may be specified by the Central Government by a general or special order shall be exercised or discharged by the authorised person except with the previous sanction of the Central Government.

(3) The Central Government may reduce or extend the period mentioned in sub-section (1) as it considers necessary.

(4) During the operation of an order made under sub-section (1), it shall be competent for the Central Government to issue, from time to time, such directions to the Authority as are necessary to enable the authorised person to exercise the powers and discharge the functions of the Authority under this Act in relation to the national highway or part thereof, the management of which has been entrusted to him and in particular, to transfer any sum of money from the Fund of the Authority to the authorised person for the management of the national highway or part thereof and every such direction shall be complied with by the Authority.

(5) On the cesser of operation of any order made under sub-section (1) in relation to any national highway or part thereof, the authorised person shall cease to exercise and perform the powers andfunctions of the Authority under this Act in relation to such national highway or part thereof and the Authority shall continue to exercise and perform such powers and functions in accordance with the provisions of this Act.

(6) On the cesser of operation of any order made under sub-section (1) in relation to any national highway or part thereof, the authorised person shall hand over to the Authority any property (including any sum of money or other asset) remaining with him in connection with the management of such national highway or part thereof.