Parliament Told 629 National Highway Projects Delayed Amid Infrastructure Push

As many as 629 National Highway projects have exceeded their original completion schedules out of 1,191 ongoing projects across the country, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari informed Parliament on Wednesday. In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Gadkari said that all 1,191 National Highway projects currently under construction are yet to reach their respective completion stages. Of these, 629 projects have moved beyond their initially planned deadlines.

The minister provided the figures but did not specify the reasons behind the delays. The update comes as the government continues to expand India’s highway network through large-scale infrastructure projects aimed at improving connectivity and reducing travel time. In another response, Gadkari said 103 contractors and concessionaires were blacklisted or penalised between the financial years 2023-24 and 2025-26 for poor quality work during the execution of National Highway construction projects.

The action against contractors was part of measures aimed at improving construction standards and ensuring better implementation of highway projects. The government has been focusing on quality control and accountability in road infrastructure development. Gadkari also informed Parliament about plans to introduce advanced traffic management systems (ATMS) across all four-lane and above National Highways and expressways, covering approximately 52,647 kilometres.

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The proposed system will include Local, Regional and National Command and Control Centres to enable centralised monitoring, incident management, traffic analysis and coordinated responses during emergencies. The minister said a Unified ATMS Software Platform is also being implemented to ensure better coordination and standardisation across the National Highway network. The platform will support monitoring, enforcement, data integration and performance management through common protocols. The government’s technology-focused approach aims to improve road safety, manage traffic movement and provide faster responses to incidents on major highways.

Officials have highlighted the importance of digital infrastructure as India’s highway network continues to expand. The data shared in Parliament reflects both the scale of India’s ongoing road construction programme and the challenges involved in executing large infrastructure projects within scheduled timelines. With thousands of kilometres of highways being developed across the country, delays, quality concerns and monitoring mechanisms remain key issues for authorities. The government has said that stronger oversight and advanced management systems will help improve project execution and operational efficiency.

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