Highway construction in India has faced sluggish progress primarily due to disruptions caused by irregularities in the monsoon season. Data from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways reveals that only 2,670 km of highways were completed during the first four months of the financial year. This accounts for only 20 percent of the ambitious target set to build 13,800 km of highways for the entire financial year.
Furthermore, the allocation of new road projects has significantly declined, falling from 1,975 km in the same period last year to just 1,125 km this year. A government official familiar with the situation explained that various factors, including the extended monsoon, have affected construction progress.
Highway construction dropped to a mere 420 km in July, approximately 14 km  per day, a stark contrast to the 2,670 km achieved during April-July. While this year’s figures are somewhat better than the 2,493 km constructed during the same period last year, experts foresee challenges in maintaining this pace.
Only four out of 24 projects that are part of the NH-66 development programme have been completed in the state of Kerala, with a reported “shortage in the availability of sand and stones” being cited as the reason for the delay.
In response to these challenges, the government has revised its highway-building target for the current year, increasing it to 13,800 km, up from the previous goal of 12,500 km. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways aims to exceed 40 km of highway construction per day.
