19,826 km of roads completed under Bharatmala project, says Nitin Gadkari

The Bharatmala Pariyojana was approved by the Centre in 2017 with the aim of improving logistics efficiency and connectivity across India. The project also aims to connect tribal areas, aspirational districts, and regions affected by Left Wing Extremism while reducing accidents on these highways

A total of 19,826 km of roads have been constructed under the Bharatmala Pariyojana so far, out of the 26,425 km that have been awarded, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply earlier this week, according to ANI.

The Bharatmala Pariyojana was approved by the Central government in 2017 with the aim of improving logistics efficiency and connectivity across India. The project also aims to connect tribal areas, aspirational districts, and regions affected by Left Wing Extremism while reducing accidents on these highways by ensuring safer transportation networks.

According to ANI, Gadkari stated that the development of high-speed corridors under Bharatmala would significantly reduce travel time between key economic hubs, making transportation more efficient. The corridors are designed to provide faster connectivity to industrial hubs, National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) nodes, Multi-Modal Logistics Parks (MMLPs), ports, and airports.

By February, a total of 6,669 km of high-speed greenfield corridors have been awarded, and construction has been completed for 4,610 km of these corridors. This marks significant progress in enhancing India's road infrastructure.

Gadkari highlighted that all national highway projects are carried out following the standards, guidelines, and codes of practice set by the Indian Roads Congress, along with specifications for road and bridge works. According to ANI, he further assured that necessary road safety measures are implemented during the design, construction, operation, and maintenance stages. "Guidelines have also been issued for regular safety audits of all national highways at the design, construction, and pre-opening stages, as well as on existing highways to ensure road safety," he stated.

Smart technologies are being increasingly used in highway construction. Gadkari mentioned that automated and intelligent machine-aided construction (AI-MC), LIDAR technology, and drone-based analytics are being adopted to improve construction quality and efficiency.

In a separate reply concerning the PM Gati Shakti initiative, Gadkari informed that 115 national highway and road projects covering about 13,500 km and worth Rs 6.38 lakh crore have been examined through the PM Gati Shakti NMP Portal. This process has involved consultation within the Network Planning Group (NPG) under PM Gati Shakti, reported ANI.

Gadkari explained that this has led to better planning and execution of infrastructure projects, reducing the time and cost involved in project design, alignment, clearances, and approvals. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is responsible for the development and maintenance of national highways, with all projects aligned with the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan (NMP) principles.

(With inputs from ANI) 

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