NDA's Ambitious Highway Push: 50,000 Km Of Expressways By 2037 To Cut Logistic Costs

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) as part of 100-day agenda for quick implementation after the formation of the new government in May 2024, could unveil mega plan for building 50,000 km of new, access-controlled, expressways by 2037 to help reduce logistic costs.

The programme is expected to replace the Bharatmala scheme and will sync all future road projects with the government’s Vision 2047 for the sector.

Bharatmala Pariyojana is India's largest infrastructure programme to develop about 35,000 km of National Highway corridors, connecting over 580 districts in the nation. The programme signalled a paradigm shift to corridor approach of infrastructure development.

“The idea is to reduce logistic costs in India, decongest India’s roads and make the road infrastructure experience world-class, befitting a developed nation,” reports ET, quoting a senior government official.

Preparations for awarding new projects are already underway, pending approval on Vision 2047. Once greenlit, the ministry will commence the bidding process.

In addition, the government has opted to increase private sector involvement in road projects by predominantly using the build-operate-transfer (BOT) mode for future bids.

The ministry recently updated the model concession agreements for both BOT and toll-operate-transfer (ToT) projects, simplifying them and making them more appealing to investors in order to attract private investments.