NH two-laning: ministry steps on the gas

New Delhi, August 21: Facing flak from all quarters on the slow progress of its works, yet keen to catch up with the stupendous infrastructure network created by neighbour China, the Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport & Highways is now working on a plan of two-laning 20,000 km of national highways in the country.

The near Rs 40,000-crore project will be implemented by the ministry independent of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). This new project, insists the ministry, will stretch across 20,000 kms and bring practically all NHs in the country to the double lane standard.

“The total NH length in the country now stands at nearly 70,000 kms and NHDP covers some 33,000 kms. So that means over 50 per cent NHs are still left to be upgraded. That is why the ministry feels the need to upgrade more NHs. We want the minimum NH standards to be a double-lane good quality road”, says Brahm Dutt, Secretary MORTH.

The ministry is in the process of preparing a project report and it is estimated that the cost incurred per kilometre of construction would be around Rs 2 crore. The ministry plans to focus on tier II cities through this project ensuring good access and connectivity through two lane NHs to these areas.

While NHAI has opted out of the scheme citing the massive workload they are already saddled with in NHDP, the ministry is open to state Government PWDs assisting the project.

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