Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari announced that 1,240 National Highway (NH) projects, spanning 29,406 km and valued at ₹7.8 lakh crore, are currently under construction across India. These ambitious projects, which have already seen 15,674 km completed, are set to transform the country’s connectivity and economic landscape by the financial year 2028-29. Gadkari shared these details in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, highlighting the government’s relentless focus on infrastructure as a cornerstone of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Vision 2047.

The projects, executed under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, are being implemented in three primary modes: Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT), Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM), and Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC). BOT projects carry a concession period of 15-20 years, HAM projects typically 15 years, with concessionaires responsible for maintenance during these periods.

For EPC projects, defect liability periods extend to 5 years for bituminous pavements and 10 years for concrete ones, ensuring long-term quality. Despite progress, challenges like land acquisition delays, contractor issues, and statutory clearances have slowed 580 projects worth ₹3.9 lakh crore, though the ministry has reduced long-pending delays by nearly half since April 2024.

For the 2025-26 financial year, the ministry has planned to develop 19,555 km of NHs, including 548 km in West Bengal, aligning with regional connectivity goals. Gadkari emphasized robust maintenance mechanisms, with accountable agencies tasked to address issues like potholes promptly, ensuring safer and smoother highways. Additionally, the ministry has installed 4,557 electric vehicle Public Charging Stations (PCSs) along NHs and expressways, supporting India’s push toward sustainable mobility.

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The National Highways network has grown by 60% since 2014, from 91,287 km to 146,342 km, with 54,004 km of state roads notified as NHs. This expansion, coupled with a 130% increase in annual construction rates (from 13 km/day in 2009-14 to 30-37 km/day in recent years), underscores India’s infrastructure leap. Notable projects include the 56-km Madanapalle-Pileru stretch in Andhra Pradesh (₹1,994 crore) and Gujarat’s 69 projects worth ₹55,614 crore.

Despite setbacks, with 276 sanctioned projects worth ₹1.4 lakh crore yet to start due to land acquisition hurdles, Gadkari remains optimistic. The ministry’s adoption of AI-driven tools like the Automated & Intelligent Machine-aided Construction (AIMC) system on projects like the Lucknow-Kanpur Greenfield Expressway promises faster, high-quality construction. As India races toward a world-class highway network, these efforts are poised to boost trade, reduce logistics costs from 16% to 9% by December 2025, and create millions of jobs.

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