Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to augment national highways network

Mar 24, 2017: The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has taken decision to augment the NHs Network of existing 1,13,298 km, keeping in view the requirements to enhance road safety, reduce congestions, improve road connectivity and conditions.

About 57,500 km length of state roads have been approved “In-Principle” for their declaration as new NHs subject to outcome of their Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) and initiatives have been taken for their DPR preparations.

Further, the ministry has reduced threshold traffic for 4-laning of NHs from 15,000; 11,000; and 8,000 Passenger Car Units (PCUs) per day to 10,000; 8,500 and 6,000 PCUs/day for plain, rolling, and mountainous/steep terrains respectively. Decisions have been taken to entrust 4-laning of all such NHs to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for their implementation through additional market borrowings, etc., in a phased manner by leveraging limited available budgetary allocation. About 5,575 km length of NHs have been identified accordingly for their upgradations to 4 / 6 lane standards by NHAI and process have been initiated for their DPR preparations.

The information was given by the Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Shri Pon. Radhakrishnan in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha recently.