India's highway network expanded from 91,000 km to 1.46 lakh km in 11 years: MoS Malhotra

New Delhi, July 18 (IANS) India's national highway network has expanded from 91,000 km in 2014 to over 1.46 lakh km, making it the second-largest road network in the world, Minister of State for Road, Transport and Highways Harsh Malhotra said on Friday.

Addressing the Road and Highways Summit here, the minister said that the government's spending on road infrastructure has grown 6.4 times between 2013–14 and 2024–25 and the budget allocation for road transport and highways has seen a 57 per cent increase from 2014 to 2023–24, reflecting the government's unwavering commitment to connectivity, mobility and economic growth.

He further stated that in recent years, road infrastructure has created 45 crore man-days of direct employment, 57 crore man-days of indirect employment and 532 crore man-days of induced employment, which demonstrates the substantial impact of infrastructure projects on job creation across various sectors.

MoS Malhotra also said that more than 10,000 km of National Highways (NHs) have been constructed in the North Eastern Region (NER) during the past decade, which demonstrates Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment to the region.

He mentioned the Delhi Decongestion Plan, which aims to reduce traffic congestion and pollution in the city and would improve connectivity in the national capital. The plan includes extension of Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway (NE-5) from KMPE till UER-II (NH-344M) in Delhi and Haryana, Extension of UER-II (NH-344M) near Alipur till Delhi-Dehradun Expressway (NH-709B) near Tronica City in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, and Construction of a Road Tunnel starting from Dwarka Expressway (near Shiv Murti Mahipalpur) to Nelson Mandela Marg, Vasant Kunj.

MoS Malhotra further stated that the Ministry is in the process of developing 700+ Wayside Amenities (WSAs) by 2028-29 that offer clean restrooms, quality food, rest areas, fuel stations, and EV charging points.

He said that the Ministry has accorded top priority to Road Safety and stated that 14,000 accident-prone blackspots have been rectified. The minister also applauded the successful implementation of schemes like the Good Samaritan Scheme and the Cashless Golden Hour Scheme.

He also said that with initiatives like the Green Highways Policy and 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam', the Ministry has planted over 4.78 crore trees and transplanted around 70,000 trees along national highways.

The Ministry has also adopted sustainable construction practices, including the use of over 80 lakh tonnes of plastic waste in major projects such as UER-II and the Ahmedabad–Dholera Expressway. Additionally, fly ash from thermal power plants is being incorporated into highway construction, reducing the need for raw materials and lowering emissions, he explained.

He highlighted that the construction of more highways is pivotal to achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047. Every rupee invested in highway development yields a threefold return to the GDP, unlocks vast employment opportunities and opens multiple channels for revenue generation, and the government is not just building roads, it is laying the foundation for a prosperous, peaceful, and resilient Bharat, the minister added.

--IANS

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