In Last Nine Years, CapEx On National Highways Surges 4.5 Times To Rs 2.4 Lakh Crore, NH Network Expands By Nearly 55,000 Km

Capital Expenditure on national highways has increased more than 4.5 times, from Rs 51,000 crore in 2013-14 to Rs 2.4 lakh crore in 2022-23, Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has informed the Parliament.

The minister presented the comprehensive yearly progress of the development of national highways over the past nine years.

The data reveals that during 2014-15, around 4,410 km of highways were constructed, which included 2,750 km of two-lane highways, 733 km of four-lane highways, and 278 km of 6/8 lane highways.

There was a significant increase in the construction of national highways, which nearly multiplied by 2.5 times, rising from 4,410 km in 2014-15 to 10,331 km in 2022-23.

A major emphasis was placed on 6/8 lane highways in the country where about 1,341 km of such highways were added in 2022-23 alone.

The most significant annual increase in National Highways occurred between 2019-20 and 2020-21. During this 2020-21 period, the government expanded the highways network by an additional 3,090 km compared to the previous year.

Broader roads

Interestingly, the length of national highways has expanded from 91,287 km in March 2014 to 1,46,145 km at present.

The length of 4-lane highways has increased 250 per cent from 18,371 km to 46,179 km.

While 2-lane highways have been of posteriority to the government, and broadening a priority, two-lane national highways have decreased from about 27,517 km to about 14,870 km during the period which is now only about 10 per cent of the NH network.

Greenfield Highways

The government has also added 3,336 km of green field access-controlled corridors on 21 highways.

Rise in Ministry's budget

Over a span of 10 years, the budget allocation for the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has experienced a nearly nine-fold increase, soaring from Rs 31,130 crore in the fiscal year 2013-14 to Rs 2.70 lakh crore in the fiscal year 2023-24.