India possesses the second largest road network globally, covering 5.6 million kilometers, with a significant portion paved and a high percentage of goods and passenger traffic. Key developments include highway constructions, various road classifications managed by different authorities, and initiatives like PMGSY for rural road development. The Bharatmala project aims to enhance connectivity and logistics efficiency, with targets to improve existing corridors and connect more districts through national highways.

1. VIJAI KRISHNANV
M.Tech Student
Rajiv Gandhi Institute ofTechnology,
Kottayam, Kerala

2.  Second largest in World
 5.6 million kms
 62.5% paved
 1.7 km of road per sq. km of land
 4.63 km of road per 1000 people
 60% of all goods & 85% of passenger traffic
 World Bank support from 1995
 Avg. vehicle growth rate – 10.16%

3.  Fastest expanding infrastructure sector
 CAGR = 5.9% through 2021
 Highway Construction
 8,142 km in FY 2016-17 (22.3 km/day)
 1,627 km in 1st two months of FY 2017-18
(26.3km/day)
 PMGSY – 133 km/day (FY 2016-17)

4. Road
Category
1950-51 1960-61 1970-71 1980-81 1990-91 2000-01 2010-11 2015-16
National
Highways
19811 23798 23838 31671 33650 57737 70934 101011
State
Highways
^ ^ 56765 94359 127311 132100 163898 176166
District
Roads
173723 257125 276833 421895 509435 736001 998895 561940
Rural
Roads
206408 197194 354530 628865 1260430 1972016 2749804 3935337
Urban
Roads
0 46361 72120 123120 186799 252001 411679 509730
Project
Roads
0 0 130893 185511 209737 223665 281628 319109
Total 3,99,942 5,24,478 9,14,979 14,85,421 23,27,362 33,73,520 46,76,838 56,03,293

5. Road classification Authority responsible Length (km)
Share of network
length
National Highways MoRTH 101,011 1.80 %
State Highways PWD 176,166 3.14 %
Other PWD roads PWD 561,940 10.03 %
Rural roads Panchayaths and PMGSY 3,935,337 70.23 %
Urban roads
Local governments and
municipalities
509,730 9.10 %
Project roads
State/Union territory
government departments,
and SAIL, NMDC and BRO
319,109 5.70 %
Total 56,03,293 100 %

6.  Expressways
 National Highways
 State Highways
 District Roads
 Rural Roads

7.  6 or 8 lane with controlled access
 About 1455km is operational
 Additional 18’637 km by 2022
 Operational – 26 nos.
 Under construction – 8 nos.
 Proposed – 18 nos.
 Toll road
 NHAI

8.  Connects major ports, state capitals, industrial &
tourist centres
 1’01’011 km in use (March, 2016)
 NHAI & NHDP
 2% of road network
 40% of total road traffic
 Longest – NH 44
 Smallest – NH 966B
 $10.13 billion for NH
in FY 2017-18
Lanes
Length
(km)
%age
Single Lane /
Intermediate
lane
20,703 20.49%
Double lane 55,603 55.05%
4/6/8-Lane 24,705 24.46%
Total 1,01,011 100%

9.  New numbering system:
 All North-South oriented highways will have even
numbers increasing from the East toWest
 All East-West oriented highways will have odd numbers
increasing from the North to South
 All major highways will be single digit or double digit
number
 Three digit numbered highways are secondary routes or
branches of a main highway, prefixed to the number of the
main highway
 SuffixesA, B, C, D etc. are added to the three digit sub
highways to indicate very small stretches of sub-highways

10.  Seven phases
 Phase – I  Golden Quadrilateral
 Phase – II  NS – EW Corridor
 Phase – III  Development of 4 lane NHs
 Phase – IV Upgrading single lane to 2 lane
 Phase –V  Upgrading 4 lane to 6 lane
 Phase –VI Development of Expressways
 Phase –VII  Development of bypass, flyover,
ring roads

11.  Savings in vehicle operating costs
 Benefits to trade especially in movement of
perishable material
 Faster, safer & comfortable journeys
 Reduced maintenance costs & fuel consumption
 All round development of areas

12.  Enhanced safety features
 Divided carriageways and Service roads
 Better Riding Surface
 Grade separators
 Better Road Geometry
 Over bridges and Underpasses
 BetterTraffic Management
 Bypasses andWayside Amenities

13.  Link NHs, district quarters, minor ports, important
towns
 176,166 km as of March 2016
 State PWD
 Largest share – Maharashtra

14.  Important roads within a district
 Connect NHs & SHs
 561,940 km
 Divided into two:
 Major District Road
 Other District Road
 MDR b/w 5000 & 10’000 PCUs – Min. 15 m width
 State PWD

15.  Major portion of Indian road network (70%)
 PMGSY (2000) – For development of rural roads
–To build all-season, single lane,
paved asphalted roads
 World Bank & ADB funded
 Construction & maintenance –Villages/Panchayaths

16.  Road accidents & fatalities
 Rapid increase in number of vehicles
 Congestion in Urban areas
 Increase in pollution and vehicle operation
cost
 Less average speed
 Poor quality of village roads

17.  Bharatmala
 Setu Bharatam
 National Highways and Infrastructure Development
Corporation (NHIDCL)
 NHDP
 Special Accelerated Road Development Programme
in North East (SARDP-NE)
 NHAI to target 2’00’000 km
 PMGSY
 Logistic Efficiency Enhancement Programme
(LEEP)

18.  Second highest highway project after NHDP
 Seven phases
 Target – 30km/day
 Raise 40% freight to 80% freight on NH
 Multi-source funding
 24,800 km of highways in first phase

19.  Highlights:
 Development of Border and International connectivity
roads
 Improving efficiency of existing corridors
 Improving connectivity in the North East
 Enhancing use of technology & scientific planning
 50 new corridors
 Connect 550 districts through NH linkages

20.  Categories:
 Economic Corridor – 9000 km
 Feeder Route or Inter Corridor – 6000 km
 National Corridor Efficiency Improvement – 5000 km
 Border Road and International Connectivity – 2000 km
 Port Connectivity and Coastal Road – 2000 km
 Green Field Expressway
 Balance NHDPWorks - 10,000km

21. Source: Business Line, 2 Feb 2018

22.  https://www.ibef.org/industry/roads-india.aspx
 www.nhai.gov.in
 https://www.india.gov.in/spotlight/bharatmala-pariyojana-stepping-
stone-towards-new-india
 http://www.makeinindia.com/article/-/v/connecting-the-country-road-
infrastructure
 http://nhidcl.com/welcome-to-nhidcl/#
 http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/india/brief/highways
 http://www.mospi.gov.in/statistical-year-book-india/2017/190