In a robust display of infrastructure development, the pace of national highway construction in India has surged to an impressive 20.78 kilometers per day during the initial seven months of the current fiscal year. Official data from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) reveals a commitment to sustaining this momentum, with plans underway to construct 12,500 kilometers of highways in the fiscal year 2023-24.
During this period, the project award figure reached 2,595 kilometers, a notable increase despite the comparison with the previous year’s 5,007 kilometers. The ministry has already completed the construction of 4,474 kilometers of national highways up to October in the current fiscal year, surpassing the 4,060 kilometers constructed in the same period of 2022-23, as highlighted in MoRTH’s monthly summary for the Cabinet in October 2023.
Noteworthy is the ministry’s strategic focus on meeting the ambitious target for awarding projects this year. The urgency to decide on the approval of the revised Bharatmala Phase-1 or an alternate program is emphasized in the report. Failure to address this promptly could impact the progress of construction in the fiscal year 2024-25.
Bharatmala Pariyojana, a monumental highway infrastructure program in India, aims to develop 34,800 kilometers of national highway corridors, requiring an investment of Rs 5.35 lakh crore. The first phase of the program encompasses the development of approximately 24,800 kilometers of national highway networks, addressing economic corridors, inter-corridor & feeder roads, national corridors efficiency improvements, border and international connectivity roads, coastal and port connectivity roads, expressways, and an additional 10,000 kilometers under the Balance National Highway Development Project (NHDP).
As the government remains committed to enhancing connectivity and infrastructure, the accelerated pace of national highway construction stands as a testament to India’s dedication to fostering robust economic development and connectivity across the nation.
