Known as the Asian Highway network, the 1,40,000 km long ambitious inter-regional connectivity project being implemented under the aegis of the United Nations Economic & Social Commission for the Asia Pacific (UNESCAP) has 11,650 kilometres falling in Indian territory.

While the AH 1 enters India at the Indo-Pak border at Wagah and passes via Delhi to Kolkata and enters Myanmar from Dawki in Meghalaya, the AH 2, also entering from Wagah border, will go to Nepal via Delhi and then re-enter India in West Bengal and terminate at Bangladesh. There are also five other sub-divisional AH routes in India. Recently, the Cabinet approved the extension of AH-48 from Thimpu-Phuentsholing (Bhutan) to Jaigaon at West Bengal in India.

In fact, four categories of roads have been prescribed under the Asian Highway network — the Primary Expressways, Class I four-lane highways, Class II two-lane highways that are 7-metre wide and Class III two-lane highways that are 6-metre wide.

“UNESCAP has not really said that all roads have to be of Class I category as every nation has its constraints. Infact, we are also readying to put up international signage across the AH network as has been directed by UNESCAP,” said a senior official. The Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport & Highways is all set to start installation of international state-of-the art signage.

India is likely to choose the green colour code signage system for the AH network so that it can be in sync with the other National Highway signage system. Of the total AH network, so far 23,700 kms are still below Class III standards, says UNESCAP. A total of US $26 billion has been pumped into the project across countries.

Of the total stretch of the AH that falls in India, only 26 kilometres are state roads while the rest 11,625 kilometres are already national highways. Some 90 kilometres fall under the existing Expressways.

“Most of India’s AH stretches are covered under the ongoing National Highway Upgradation Programme (NHDP) and the Special Accelerated Road Development Programme (SARDP) for the North-East. Once we upgrade the highways, we will put up the AH signposts — preferably in the international green colour, for which the deadline is 2010,” said an official.