The government of India undertakes several initiatives to enhance and strengthen the National Highways network through flagship programs such as the Bharatmala Pariyojana. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways plays a crucial role in these efforts.

The National Highway network has grown by 60%; rising from 91,287 km in 2014 to 146,195 km.

National High-Speed Corridors increased from 93 km in 2014 to 2,474 km.

Under Asset Monetisation following the  TOT (Toll Operate and Transfer) model, NHAI monetizes four TOT bundles realizing Rs. 15,968 crores during FY 2023-24 totaling Rs. 42,334 crore.

MoRTH plans a network of 35 Multimodal Logistics Parks as part of Bharatmala Pariyojana.

To ensure adequate last-mile connectivity to all operational/under implementation ports in the country, MoRTH develops a comprehensive Port Connectivity Masterplan. This plan will promote connectivity requirements of industry and internal trade. Thus, it will implement 59 critical infrastructure projects of length ~1,300 km.

NIC has developed a All India Tourist Permit Module. It allows tourist vehicle operators to transport tourists and their luggage across India. Consequently, this will simplify interstate travel, enhance mobility, and support the tourism sector by eliminating the need for multiple permits.

The government is formulating a scheme to provide cashless treatment to victims of road accidents.

Vehicle Scrapping (as of 16.12.2024), 80 Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities are operational across 19 States/UTs, and 66 additional centers are under construction.

The ministry has accorded high priority to the identification and rectification of blackspots (accident-prone spots) on National Highways. All in all it is making concerted efforts to improve road safety through engineering measures.

1.  NATIONAL HIGHWAYS: CONSTRUCTION & ACHIEVEMENTS  

1.1 Road Network in the Country: India has the second largest road network. Its National Highways span a total length of 146,195 km, forming the primary arterial network of the country. The Government of India has undertaken several initiatives to enhance and strengthen the National Highways network. It has launched flagship programs such as the Bharatmala Pariyojana which includes the subsumed National Highway Development Project (NHDP). Additionally, there’s the Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for the North-East Region (SARDP-NE). Also, the special program for the development of roads in Left Wing Extremism-affected Areas (LWE) includes the development of the Vijayawada-Ranchi Road, and Externally Aided Projects (EAP).

1.2       National Highway Network

• The National Highway (NH) network has grown by 60%, from 91,287 km in 2014 to 146,195 km.
• The length of National High-Speed Corridors (HSC) has increased from 93 km in 2014 to 2,474 km.
• The length of 4-lane and above National Highways (excluding HSCs) has more than doubled. It has expanded from 18,278 km in 2014 to 45,947 km.

1.3       National Highways (Original)  

The NHs works other than scheme projects are developing in a phased manner. It is based on the traffic requirement under National Highway (Original) works. At present, works of about 12,500 km NH in length are under construction under NH(O).  This also includes Bharatmala Projects whih has awarded 26,425 km and completed 18,926 km till 30^th November 2024.

1.4      Total outstanding liabilities under all schemes of MoRTH is about Rs. 6.48 lakh crore.

1.5       Maintenance and Repair (M&R) of NH Network

• MoRTH focuses on both the development and maintenance of NHs to ensure their traffic worthiness. 
• The M&R of stretches of NHs, where development works have commenced or Operation, Maintenance, and Transfer (OMT) Concessions/ Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Contracts have been awarded, are the responsibility of the concerned Concessionaires/ Contractors till the end of the Defect Liability Period (DLP)/ the Concession Period. Similarly, for NHs stretches undertaken under TOT (Toll Operate and Transfer) and InvIT (Infrastructure Investment Trust), M&R responsibility lies with the concerned Concessionaire till the end of the Concession Period. No separate maintenance expenditure is recorded in respect of these NHs stretches.
• For all remaining sections of NHs stretches, the Government has prioritised the maintenance and inter-alia evolved a mechanism to ensure M&R of all NHs sections through an accountable maintenance agency through a Performance Maintenance Contract (PBMC) or Short-Term Maintenance Contract (STMC). An average annual expenditure of Rs. 6,000 Crore has been incurred by MoRTH on M&R of such NHs stretches during the last three years.
• At present, out of the total 1,46,195 km length of the NH network (for road transport and highways) in the country, about 38,842 km length is under development, 55,448 km length under DLP / Concession Period, and 29,030 km length under maintenance. During the current FY 2024-25, MoRTH has planned to take up maintenance in about 25,000 km length through STMC / PBMC mode, out of which works in about 19,000 km length have already been approved.

1.6     CCEA approvals for 8 National High-Speed Corridor projects

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the development of 08 important National High-Speed Corridor projects with a Length of 936 km for Rs. 50,655 crores across the country. Implementation of these 8 projects will generate an estimated 4.42 crore man-days of direct and indirect employment. A brief of these projects as are under:

• 6-Lane Agra – Gwalior National High-Speed Corridor. 
• 4-Lane Kharagpur – Moregram National High-Speed Corridor.
• 6-Lane Tharad – Deesa – Mehsana – Ahmedabad National High-Speed Corridor. 
• 4-lane Ayodhya Ring Road.
• 4-Lane Section between Pathalgaon-Gumla of Raipur-Ranchi National Highspeed Corridor
• 6-Lane Kanpur Ring Road
• 4-Lane Northern Guwahati Bypass and widening/improvement of existing Guwahati Bypass

• 8-Lane Elevated Nashik Phata – Khed Corridor near Pune

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Reference

Press Information Bureau: Road Transport, 2024

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