Investment in Highway Infrastructure
The Indian government, led by Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, is set to invest ₹10 lakh crore over the next two years to enhance the country's highway infrastructure.
Focus on the Northeast
- The goal is to bring the roads in the Northeast to par with U.S. standards.
- The region's challenging terrain and proximity to international borders necessitate improved road infrastructure.
Projects Nationwide
- 784 highway projects are planned in eastern states with an estimated cost of ₹3,73,484 crore, spanning 21,355 km.
- Significant investments include:
- Assam: ₹57,696 crore
- Bihar: ₹90,000 crore
- West Bengal: ₹42,000 crore
- Jharkhand: ₹53,000 crore
- Odisha: ₹58,000 crore
National Highway Network Expansion
- The network has expanded from 91,287 km in March 2014 to 1,46,204 km.
- The percentage of highways below two lanes has decreased from 30% to 9%.
Mass Rapid Transport Project
- A pilot project in Nagpur involves a 135-seater bus costing ₹170 crore, running on non-polluting energy sources.
- If successful, it will be expanded to routes like Delhi-Jaipur under the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model.
Achievements
- In 2024-25, the NHAI constructed 5,614 km of national highways, exceeding the target of 5,150 km.
