Delhi – The Bharatmala Pariyojana, an ambitious highway development initiative by the Government of India, aims to revolutionize the nation’s transportation network by constructing 34,800 kilometers of highways with an estimated budget of ₹5.35 lakh crore. This landmark project, approved to enhance connectivity and reduce logistics costs, encompasses Economic Corridors, Inter Corridors, Feeder Routes, National Corridor efficiency enhancements, and Coastal, Border, and International Connectivity Roads, alongside Expressways and residual NHDP Projects.
As of October 31, 2024, significant progress has been reported under the program. A total of 26,425 kilometers of projects have been awarded, with 18,714 kilometers already constructed. To assess the socio-economic impact of the initiative, the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore has been commissioned to conduct an in-depth study, which is currently underway.
However, executing a project of this scale comes with its share of hurdles. Challenges such as delays in pre-construction activities, financial constraints faced by contractors, unforeseen disruptions, and material shortages have occasionally hampered progress. To address these issues, the government has rolled out multiple interventions:
- Streamlined Land Acquisition: Simplified processes to expedite the acquisition of land for highway projects.
- Enhanced Clearance Mechanisms: Revamped the Parivesh Portal for faster forest and environmental approvals and introduced online approval systems for General Arrangement Drawings (GAD) of Road Over Bridges (ROB) and Road Under Bridges (RUB) in collaboration with Indian Railways.
- Collaborative Reviews: Regular multi-stakeholder review meetings involving state governments and other entities to resolve bottlenecks.
Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Nitin Gadkari, highlighted these developments in a written response to the Lok Sabha today. He emphasized that project implementation is being carried out in accordance with contractual agreements, with grievances being addressed through established guidelines.
The Bharatmala Pariyojana stands as a testament to India’s commitment to infrastructure development, poised to enhance economic activity, connectivity, and accessibility across the nation while tackling the challenges inherent in a project of this magnitude.
