The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) in India is set to embark on an ambitious project to construct 11 new expressways and highways across the country by 2025. This major infrastructure push aims to improve road connectivity and enhance travel efficiency nationwide.
Current Highway Infrastructure
As of 2024, the total length of National Highways in India has significantly increased from 91,287 kilometres in 2014 to 1,46,145 kilometres. This expansion reflects a 1.6-fold growth over the past decade. During the financial year 2023-24 alone, more than 12,000 kilometres of new national highways and expressways were constructed. Presently, about 33 kilometres of National Highways are being constructed daily.
Upcoming Projects
The MoRTH plans to develop 11 new expressways and highways with a total length of 5,467 kilometres. These projects will traverse 16 states, aiming to enhance traffic connectivity and streamline travel across major regions.
Key Projects Include:
- Delhi-Mumbai Expressway (1350 km)
- Delhi-Katra Expressway (670 km)
- Delhi-Dehradun Expressway (210 km)
- Raipur-Hyderabad Expressway (330 km)
- Indore-Hyderabad Expressway (713 km)
- Surat-Solapur Expressway (464 km)
- Nagpur-Vijayawada Expressway (457 km)
- Chennai-Salem Expressway (277 km)
- Solapur-Kuntloor Expressway (318 km)
- Hyderabad-Visakhapatnam Expressway (221 km)
Project Timelines and Updates
Construction on parts of two expressways, Delhi-Dehradun and Delhi-Mumbai, is set to commence within the year. These projects are planned to be executed in phases and will open to the public upon completion. Specifically, work on the segments from Delhi-Dehradun to Delhi Border and Delhi-Mumbai to Surat will begin this year.
Policy and Regulation
Under the leadership of Nitin Gadkari, the Ministry has also introduced the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Amendment Rules, 2024, which aims to streamline fee structures and improve the efficiency of fee collection for national highways.
These infrastructure developments represent a significant leap in India’s efforts to modernise and expand its road network, promising better connectivity and convenience for travellers across the nation.
