Government Gears Up for 13,000 Km Highway Expansion

The government is actively pursuing its target of constructing 13,000 km of national highways (NH) by the end of March, representing about 94 percent of the planned achievement for FY24. In the preceding fiscal year, the government successfully completed 10,331 km of highways, surpassing the original target of 12,500 km.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is committed to awarding highway projects worth Rs 10,000 crore by the end of March to sustain the momentum of infrastructure development. The ministry envisions transforming all single-lane roads into dual-lane national highways by 2028, as the percentage of less than two-lane NHs reduced from 30 percent in 2014 to 10 percent in 2023.

In the recent Interim Budget announced on February 1, 2024, the government has allocated Rs 2.78 trillion for MoRTH for FY25, surpassing the budget estimate of Rs 2.7 trillion in FY24. The government's steadfast focus on infrastructure, coupled with plans for increased capital expenditure allocations for MoRTH, is poised to accelerate road construction and expedite the completion of segments awarded under Bharatamala-I projects.

The national highways extend over a length of 1,46,145 km, complemented by state highways covering 1,79,535 km, and district roads, single-lane roads, and other routes totaling 63,45,403 km.

FY23 concluded with an impressive construction rate of 28.3 km per day, resulting in an overall achievement of 10,331 km of highways. The NH network witnessed a remarkable 60 percent growth, expanding from 91,287 km in 2014 to 1,46,145 km in 2023. In FY22, the Ministry initially targeted the construction of 14,600 km of highways, equivalent to 40 km per day. However, it later revised the goal to 12,000 km.

News by Rahul Yelligetti