The Ministry of Road Transport and National Highways has undertaken a significant initiative to improve approximately 321 National Highways that connect crucial religious sites, as revealed in a written response to the Lok Sabha by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. The allocated budget for the enhancement of these national highways has reached a substantial Rs 1,49,758 crores, as outlined in the official statement.
During the enhancement process, various factors were considered, including the incorporation of Wayside amenities (WSAs), sufficient signages, and beautification of road sides and medians.
Improvements on a State-wise Basis
The state of Rajasthan emerged as the primary beneficiary under this initiative, with improvement work covering an extensive length of 963 km. The associated cost for the work done in Rajasthan amounted to Rs 6,274 crore. Following closely, the hilly state of Uttarakhand saw enhancements spanning 676 km, incurring a cost of Rs 10,305 crore. Other prominent beneficiaries include Uttar Pradesh (631 km at Rs 7,721 crore) and Nagaland (603 km at Rs 8,409 crore).
States Leading in Expenditure
In terms of incurred costs, Kerala secured the top position with Rs 12,427 crore allocated for the improvement of 147 km. Tamil Nadu closely followed, with Rs 10,601 crore designated for 296 km. Uttarakhand and Bihar also featured prominently, with Rs 10,028 crore spent on the enhancement of 303 km. Mizoram claimed a significant allocation of Rs 9,137 crore.
Focus on Northeast India
In the Northeastern region, Nagaland emerged as the recipient of the largest network enhancements, closely followed by Mizoram (464 km) and Arunachal Pradesh (411 km). Sikkim (266 km), Meghalaya (369 km), Assam (235 km), and Manipur (313 km) also benefited from the initiative, contributing to the comprehensive overhaul of the National Highways network in the region.