New Delhi: Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari reported to the Lok Sabha earlier this week that a total of 26,425 km of Bharatmala projects have been awarded, with 19,826 km already completed.
The Bharatmala Pariyojana received approval from the central government in 2017.
This initiative aims to enhance logistics efficiency and connectivity across the nation, particularly in tribal, aspirational, and Left Wing Extremist-affected regions, while also aiming to reduce accidents on these highways to create safer transportation networks.
The establishment of high-speed corridors is expected to significantly decrease travel times between major economic hubs.
These corridors will provide high-speed connectivity to various industrial hubs, National Master Plan (NMP) nodes, Multi-Modal Logistics Parks (MMLPs), ports, and airports.
As of February 2025, contracts for 6,669 km of high-speed greenfield corridors have been awarded, with construction completed on 4,610 km.
Regarding National Highways (NHs), the minister stated that all work is conducted in accordance with the standards, guidelines, manuals, and codes of practice established by the Indian Roads Congress, as well as the Specifications for Road and Bridge Works.
"Essential road safety measures are implemented during the design, construction, operation, and maintenance phases. Additionally, guidelines have been issued for regular safety audits of all NHs at the design, construction, and pre-opening stages of NH projects, as well as for existing NHs to ensure road safety," Minister Gadkari added.
Numerous advanced technologies, including Automated and Intelligent Machine-aided Construction (AI-MC), LIDAR, and drone-based analytics, are increasingly being utilized in highway construction.
In a separate statement regarding the ambitious PM Gati Shakti initiative, the minister noted that 115 national highway and road projects, covering approximately 13,500 kilometers and totaling Rs. 6.38 lakh crore, have been reviewed to date. This assessment has been conducted using the PM Gati Shakti NMP Portal and in consultation with the Network Planning Group (NPG) of the PM Gati Shakti NMP.
He emphasized that this approach has led to improved planning and execution of infrastructure projects, facilitating more efficient project delivery by minimizing the time and costs related to project design, alignment, clearances, and approvals.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is chiefly responsible for the development and upkeep of National Highways (NHs). All NH development initiatives are aligned with the principles outlined in the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan (NMP).
