New Delhi, Renowned business tycoon Anand Mahindra recently shared insights into the countries with the largest road networks, showcasing India’s impressive position as the second-largest, surpassing China. In his tweet, Mahindra expressed his optimism, predicting that India, under the leadership of Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, will soon surpass the USA to claim the top spot in global road networks.
“I was happily surprised to see that we are ahead of China. That must be because the western half of China is sparsely inhabited. More interesting is that we’re within striking distance of the U.S.A. I’m sure @nitin_gadkari ji can set a goal to overtake the U.S not too long from today!” he tweeted.
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari had previously highlighted the rapid expansion of national highways in India, making it the second-largest road network globally after the USA. The total length of national highways in the country witnessed a remarkable 59% increase over the last nine years, reaching 1,45,240 km in 2022-23.
India’s robust road network, covering over 5.89 million kilometers by 2022, includes various categories such as National Highways, State Highways, District Roads, rural roads, village Roads, and other rural roads (ORR). Notable projects like the Yamuna Expressway, Mumbai-Pune Expressway, and Eastern Peripheral Expressway underscore India’s commitment to enhancing road connectivity for efficient inter-city travel.
While India has made substantial progress in expanding its road infrastructure, challenges persist in metro cities regarding traffic management, road safety, and maintenance. Rural areas, in particular, still face infrastructure inadequacies that demand ongoing attention and investment.
The upcoming years are expected to witness further developments as India strives to strengthen its position as a global leader in road connectivity.
