According to the report, India has the world's second-largest road network of around 63.45 lakh kilometres.
Key Highlights of Report
- Highway Network: National Highway (NH) network increased by 60% from 91,287 km in 2014 to 1.46 lakh km at present.
- Pace of NH construction increased 2.8 times to 33.8 km/day (2023-24) from 12.1 km/day (2014-15).
- Capital Expenditure: MoRTH’s capex has risen 5.7 times from 2013-14 to ₹3.01 lakh crore in 2023-24.
- Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvIT): ₹25,900 crore has been raised under InvIT mode.
- State Road Transport Undertakings (SRTUs): 58 SRTUs reported consolidated net loss of around ₹30,000 crore, a 68% increase in three years.
- Factors responsible are low fleet utilization, rising fuel costs, and free bus travel schemes.
- New Technologies:
- Bio Binders from Agricultural Waste: For utilization in bituminous road construction.
- Ultra-High-Performance Fiber Reinforced Concrete (UHPFRC): In bridge construction to enhance durability and load-bearing capacity.
- Graphene Modified Asphalt (GIPAVE): To improve the performance and longevity of asphalt pavements.
- Gap-graded Rubberised Bitumen (GGRB): It incorporates rubber particles into the bitumen mix.
- Other materials: Geo-Synthetics including Coir/Jute, Steel and Iron Slag, Copper Slag, Zinc Slag, Bio-Bitumen, Bio-Cement, Recycled Glass Aggregate, Graphene Enhanced Concrete, Silica-fume etc.
