New Delhi, India – The Indian government is making significant strides in the development and maintenance of National Highways (NHs) and Expressways through the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan (NMP). The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has been actively implementing various projects in alignment with NMP principles, with an emphasis on high-speed corridors (HSCs) and expressways.
Expanding India’s Road Network As part of the initiative, approximately 2,474 km of National HSCs and Expressways have been made operational across multiple states. The state-wise distribution of these operational expressways is as follows:
- Delhi: 9 km
- Gujarat: 310 km
- Haryana: 583 km
- Karnataka: 151 km
- Madhya Pradesh: 244 km
- Rajasthan: 887 km
- Telangana: 59 km
- Uttar Pradesh: 231 km
Additionally, five major expressways spanning 662 km in Andhra Pradesh—including Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway, Bengaluru-Kadappa-Vijayawada, Chittoor-Thatchur, Hyderabad-Visakhapatnam, and Raipur-Visakhapatnam Corridor—are currently under development. Out of this, 287 km have already been constructed.
Government’s Fast-Track Measures The central government has implemented several measures to expedite the completion of these ambitious infrastructure projects. These include:
- Strategic Project Planning: Use of the PM Gati Shakti NMP Portal for preparing Detailed Project Reports (DPRs).
- Pre-Construction Readiness: Ensuring necessary land acquisition (LA) and pre-construction activities before awarding projects.
- Faster Clearances: Streamlining land acquisition and environmental approvals.
- Simplified Approvals: A more efficient General Arrangement Drawing (GAD) approval process for railways.
- Contractor-Friendly Policies: Promoting a contractor ecosystem through rationalized projects and contract documentation.
- Efficient Dispute Resolution: Strengthening the dispute resolution framework.
- Liquidity Enhancements: Providing contract relaxations under Atmanirbhar Bharat to improve cash flow.
- Regular Monitoring: Conducting periodic project reviews at various administrative levels.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari provided these updates while responding to an unstarred question in the Lok Sabha.
With these initiatives, the Indian government aims to enhance connectivity, boost economic growth, and create a more robust national highway infrastructure, reinforcing the country’s commitment to development and progress under the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan.
