Indias National Highway Infrastructure: A Journey of Growth and Expansion

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In a remarkable development, the capital expenditure on National Highways in India has witnessed a substantial surge, soaring from approximately Rs 51,000 crore in the financial year 2013-14 to an impressive Rs 2,40,000 crore in the financial year 2022-23. This noteworthy information was shared in the Parliament of India on Thursday, December 14, 2022.

Enhanced Budgetary Allocation for Road Infrastructure

In a written response to a question raised in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari revealed that the budgetary allocation for the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has experienced a significant increase from approximately Rs 31,130 crore in the financial year 2013-14 to a substantial Rs 2,70,435 crore in the financial year 2023-24. This substantial increase in budgetary allocation has played a pivotal role in the expansion and development of the National Highway network in India.

Expansion of National Highway Network

As a result of the increased budgetary allocation, the National Highway network in India has witnessed a remarkable expansion, growing from approximately 91,287 kilometers in March 2014 to an impressive 1,46,145 kilometers at present. This significant growth in the National Highway network has greatly enhanced connectivity and facilitated smoother transportation across the country.

Improvement in Highway Quality

In addition to the expansion of the National Highway network, there has also been a substantial improvement in the quality of highways in India. The length of four-lane-plus National Highways, including high-speed corridors, has increased by more than 250 percent, from approximately 18,371 kilometers in March 2014 to an impressive 46,179 kilometers at present. This remarkable improvement has significantly enhanced the efficiency and safety of highway travel in India.

Reduction in Less Than Two-Lane National Highways

Furthermore, the length of less than two-lane National Highways has witnessed a significant reduction, decreasing from approximately 27,517 kilometers in March 2014 to about 14,870 kilometers at present. This reduction now accounts for only about 10 percent of the National Highway network, indicating a substantial improvement in the overall quality of highways in India.

Completion of Flagship Projects

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has successfully completed various flagship projects, or their sections, which have already been completed and opened to traffic, thereby facilitating ease of movement. Some of these notable projects include the Delhi-Dausa-Lalsot section (229 kilometers) and the entire section in Madhya Pradesh (210 kilometers) of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, the Amritsar-Bhatinda-Jamnagar section (470 kilometers) in Rajasthan, the Suryapet-Khammam section of the Hyderabad-Visakhapatnam Expressway, the Indore-Hyderabad section (175 kilometers), the new Brahamputra Bridge near Tejpur in Assam on NH-37Aold, the Kaladan Multi Modal Transit Transport Project in Mizoram, and the Shillong Nongstoin-Tura section of NH-44E & NH 127B in Meghalaya.

The substantial increase in capital expenditure on National Highways in India has resulted in a remarkable expansion of the National Highway network, improvement in highway quality, reduction in less than two-lane National Highways, and successful completion of flagship projects. These significant achievements have greatly contributed to enhancing connectivity, facilitating smoother transportation, and improving overall infrastructure in India.