Delays and Targets: Navigating India’s National Highway Projects

Parliament was informed that 574 National Highway projects, worth Rs 3.60 lakh crore, are delayed. Nearly 300 projects face delays under a year. The Ministry of Road Transport has streamlined the process and aims to construct 10,000 km of new highways by 2025-26. Road safety improvements were also noted.

The Indian Parliament was informed on Wednesday about significant delays in the construction of National Highway projects. A total of 574 projects, worth Rs 3.60 lakh crore, have surpassed their completion schedules, according to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.

In addressing the delays, Gadkari revealed that out of these projects, 300 face delays of under a year, 253 are delayed by 1-3 years, and 21 have delays exceeding three years. He also mentioned that 133 projects, costing around Rs 1 lakh crore, await the fulfilment of prerequisites, such as acquiring encumbrance-free land and obtaining necessary clearances.

Meanwhile, the ministry has set an ambitious goal to construct 10,000 km of highways by 2025-26, building on previous achievements. Additionally, there has been a noted decrease in road accident fatalities, attributed to improved safety measures in line with the Stockholm Declaration on Road Safety.

(With inputs from agencies.)