New Delhi — India’s infrastructure sector has witnessed an unprecedented transformation over the past decade, with a monumental rise in investments and a vast expansion of the National Highways (NH) network. In a written reply to an unstarred question in the Rajya Sabha today, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, outlined the dramatic strides made in road development across the country.
According to the Minister, the budgetary allocation for road transport and highways has surged nearly tenfold—from ₹31,130 crore in 2013-14 to a staggering ₹3,00,019 crore in 2024-25. Similarly, capital expenditure on National Highways has risen from ₹51,000 crore to ₹3.01 lakh crore in just a decade.
The total length of the National Highways network has grown by over 60%, increasing from 91,287 km in March 2014 to 1,46,204 km at present. This expansion spans key states including Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and the North-Eastern states.
The quality and efficiency of India’s roads have also seen marked improvements. The length of 4-lane and above highways has grown 2.5 times—from 18,371 km in 2014 to 48,430 km today. The share of sub-2-lane highways in the overall network has drastically reduced from 30% to just 9%, indicating a sharp upgrade in road standards nationwide.
High-speed corridors and expressways covering 2,474 km are now operational, significantly improving connectivity and logistics efficiency across regions. Several flagship projects and sections have already been completed and opened to traffic, making travel smoother and faster for millions.
Among the notable completed sections are:
- Delhi–Dausa–Lalsaut–Sawai Madhopur (293 km)
- Jhalawar–Jhabua (251 km)
- Vadodara–Bharuch (87 km)
- Amritsar–Bhatinda–Jamnagar (762 km across Rajasthan and Gujarat)
- Bangalore Satellite Ring Road (80 km)
- Suryapet–Khammam (59 km)
- Ambala–Kotputli Corridor (313 km)
- Dwarka Expressway (19 km)
- New Brahmaputra Bridge (NH-715) and Jia Bharali Bridge (NH-15) in Assam
- Kaladan Multi Modal Transit Transport Project in Mizoram
Major ongoing projects include:
- Vadodara–Mumbai section of the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway
- Delhi–Saharanpur–Dehradun Corridor
- Remaining sections of the Bengaluru–Chennai Expressway and Bengaluru Ring Road
- Solapur–Kurnool–Chennai Corridor
- Raipur–Vishakhapatnam Economic Corridor
- Char Dham Projects in Uttarakhand
- Dhubri–Phulbari Bridge in Assam
- Ahmedabad–Dholera Expressway
- Aizawl–Tupiang corridor in Mizoram
Minister Gadkari emphasized that infrastructure development remains the “prime mover” of the economy, enabling faster growth, enhanced regional connectivity, and robust economic development. With significant investments continuing in this sector, India is firmly on track to building a world-class transportation network.
Year-wise details of constructed NH length during the last ten years are as under-
