Nitin Gadkari, the Union minister for Road and Transport informed the Lok Sabha recently that the Central Government has planned to construct 65,000 kms of highways across the country. The construction cost of these highways is estimated to be more than Rs. 5.35 lakh crores by 2022.
While speaking in the Lok Sabha, the Union minister also said that the highways of 65,000 Kms will be developed under the Bharatmala Pariyojana of the Central Government and 24,800 kms stretch of the highways comes under economic corridors, inter-corridors, feeder routes and border roads.
The minister also said that Rs. 5,35,000 crores is proposed to develop all highways, including 10,000 kms of residual National Highway Development Project stretches for the construction under Phase-I of the Pariyojana in the five-year tenure from 2017-18 to 2021-22.
To ensure expeditious implementation, the construction of these stretches under the Bharatmala scheme is well-planned. The projects will be monitored regularly under the Bharatmala Pariyojana to complete the construction of highways in a time-based manner.
Till now, 137 road projects, have reached multiple stages of implementation at a length of nearly 6,530 kms.
The Union minister also informed Lok Sabha that a cost of Rs. 1800 crores is incurred under the Chardham projects that will connect Hindu shrines in Uttarakhand. This project is estimated to be completed within its deadline of March 2020.