Under 100 Words: A Compact Summary
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways anticipates 12,000-13,000 km of highway construction by FY24, falling short of the initial 13,800 km target. Despite project slowdowns due to extended monsoons, the focus on quality and four-lane expansion is emphasized. Vision 2047 guides future projects, aiming to improve logistics through access-controlled highways and predictive analysis tools (Highway Construction in FY24).
- A senior official at the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) mentioned on Friday that the total highway construction across the country is expected to reach approximately 12,000-13,000 kilometers by the end of the current financial year (FY24).
- Anurag Jain, the secretary of MoRTH, noted that although the overall construction falls short of the initial target set at the beginning of the financial year, there will be a notable achievement in terms of capacity augmentation and the expansion of existing highways to four lanes.
- The ministry had initially aimed for a road construction target of 13,800 km for the fiscal year 2023-24 (Highway Construction in FY24).
- Jain mentioned that the monthly road construction is displaying positive trends, even in the face of prolonged monsoons.
- He explained that a more rigorous review process for projects and subsequent meetings with state governments may have caused a slowdown in the construction pace, but it has resulted in enhanced road quality throughout the country (Highway Construction in FY24).
- “Since December 2023, there has been an increase in construction activity, which is now noticeable in January. Traditionally, the final three months of the year witnessed a significant surge in construction. We anticipate that approximately 4,500-5,000 km of construction will take place in these two months (February-March 2024),” stated Jain.
- He expressed optimism that, in an ideal scenario, it could reach 13,300 km, but acknowledged that the model code of conduct preceding the general elections might potentially influence the overall construction activity (Highway Construction in FY24).
- “This year marks the highest-ever construction of four-lane and high-speed access control roads. While the total construction may not reach an all-time high, the quality of the roads, measured in terms of widening and speed, is at its peak,” stated Jain.
- In an interview earlier this month, the secretary conveyed, “The current vision extends beyond the mere length of national highways; it also emphasizes their quality. Highways featuring four lanes or more have increased substantially to 46,720 km, a 2.5-fold rise, while those with two lanes or less have decreased by half to 14,350 km, now constituting only 10 percent of the total highway network.”
- Following a 50% reduction in the awarding of new highway projects during 2023-24, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) informed the Union Cabinet about the delay in approving the revised proposal for its flagship highway development program, Bharatmala Phase-1.
- The estimated cost of this program has doubled to over Rs 10 trillion, as reported by this paper in November 2023 (Highway Construction in FY24).
- The ministry’s monthly report to the Cabinet highlighted a 48% decline in the awarding of national highway projects from April to October.
- The ministry is presently formulating ‘Vision 2047,’ which will significantly influence the future planning and tendering of road projects, as stated by Jain (Highway Construction in FY24). He further noted that the currently awarded projects are in alignment with this vision.
- A primary objective of the vision is to enhance logistics efficiency through the development of more access-controlled highways and high-speed corridors (Highway Construction in FY24).
- Additionally, predictive analysis tools are being employed to provide early warnings regarding immediate issues in ongoing projects and aid in the planning of future endeavors, he added.
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