Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Nitin Gadkari, in a written response in the Rajya Sabha, said that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had spent a total of Rs 4.72 lakh crore on the Bharatmala Pariyojana as of 30 November.
The Bharatmala Pariyojana, a flagship infrastructure initiative approved by the Government of India in 2017, is making progress in enhancing road connectivity across the country. The project, designed to improve transportation infrastructure and reduce logistics costs, spans a vast network of 34,800 kilometres of highways across India.
As of 31 October, the government had awarded projects spanning a total of 26,425 kilometres, with 18,714 kilometres already completed. This progress is part of Phase-I of the ambitious Bharatmala Pariyojana.
The Ministry also said that no state-specific fund allocations were made to NHAI for this initiative. Instead, the focus is on improving connectivity in key areas of the country, with a particular emphasis on enhancing linkages to major and minor ports along the coastal regions.
States like Andhra Pradesh have seen 994 kilometres completed out of 1,936 kilometres awarded, while Gujarat has 923 kilometres constructed from the 1,194 kilometres awarded.
Other states, such as Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh, have also shown notable progress, with 1,837 kilometres, 1,407 kilometres, and 1,854 kilometres constructed, respectively.
Coastal states, including Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and West Bengal, have made strides in improving connectivity, particularly under the Port and Coastal Connectivity Roads category, which has seen 18 projects spanning 424 kilometres.
The project covers a vast and diverse range of states, with construction activities ranging from remote areas like Manipur and Mizoram to major urban centres like Delhi and Haryana, contributing to the overall goal of enhancing national road infrastructure.
