Road Ministry eyes record 13,813 km of highways in FY24, targets 2-lane elimination by 2027–28, and aims for Rs 40,000 crore asset monetization.
The Road Transport and Highways Ministry is embarking on an ambitious mission to establish a national milestone in the current financial year, targeting the construction of an unprecedented 13,813 km of highways, as revealed by Secretary Anurag Jain during a Friday briefing to reporters. Jain emphasised the ministry’s commitment to eradicating less than two-lane national highways by the fiscal year 2027–28.
Highlighting the progression, Jain cited a significant reduction in the total length of less than two-lane National Highways, dropping from 25,517 km in March 2012 (30.1% of the total length) to the current 14,350 km (9.8% of the total length). The ministry has been on a trajectory of consistent highway development, having accomplished 10,237 km in the 2019–20 financial year, 13,327 km in 2020–21, 10,457 km in 2021–22, and 10,331 km in 2022–23.
In the ongoing fiscal year, up until December, the ministry has already constructed an impressive 6,216 km of national highways, surpassing the previous year’s figure of 5,774 km for the same period. Secretary Jain also disclosed an additional financial objective, outlining the ministry’s intention to generate Rs 40,000 crore through asset monetization in the current financial year. This multifaceted approach underscores the ministry’s dedication to expansive infrastructure growth and financial innovation in the transportation sector.
(Source: PTI)
