MoRTH Aims to Complete Over 300 National Highway Projects This Year as Work Progresses Gradually

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is determined to complete approximately 310 national highway projects. However, official data analyzed reveals that the pace of road construction has yet to pick up momentum in this financial year.

Up until June 30, the ministry succeeded in constructing only 2,250 km of national highways, amounting to 25 km of road construction per day, falling short of the target of 37 km per day.

The construction targets for MoRTH are set on a financial year basis, and for the current financial year, the ambitious goal is to build about 13,800 km of national highways.

In an interview, a ministry official mentioned that based on the progress and revised completion dates, they have identified approximately 310 projects scheduled for completion from now until December 2023. The official explained that the initial half of the financial year generally witnesses a slower pace of road construction due to the monsoon season. This year, heavy rainfall in various parts of the country has further impacted the speed of road building, contributing to the slower progress. The official requested anonymity while sharing this information.

Out of the 310 projects in the pipeline, the state of Maharashtra takes the lead with the highest number of projects (44), closely followed by Rajasthan with 23 projects. Some of the vital projects expected to reach completion this year include various sections of the Delhi-Mumbai Highways, Delhi-Dehradun expressway, Urban Extension Road, Dwarka Expressway in Delhi, and the Coastal Road project in Mumbai.

Moreover, the six-lane greenfield Udaipur bypass is set to be fully completed by September, according to the official’s statement.

During the previous financial year, MoRTH achieved the construction of 10,993 km of national highways, which fell approximately 15% short of the targeted 12,500 km.

In the fiscal year 2021-22, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) once again failed to meet its construction targets, completing only 10,457 km of national highways compared to the set target of 12,000 km. Similarly, during the financial year 2019-20, the ministry accomplished the construction of 10,237 km of national highways, which was slightly below the target of 11,000 km.

The year 2020-21 stood out as an exception for the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) as it surpassed its target. Despite facing challenges during the nationwide lockdown, the ministry managed to construct an impressive 13,227 km of national highways, surpassing the set target of 11,000 km for that year.