The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MRTH) has fallen short of its national highway construction target for the 2022-23 fiscal year, according to the latest data released by the ministry. The construction of national highways totaled 10,993 km, falling 13.70 percent short of the government’s target of 12,500 km. The ministry did award highways of 12,375 km in length in the last financial year.
The pace of national highway construction hit a record high of 37 km per day in 2020-21. However, it has slowed down to 30.11 km per day in the 2022-23 fiscal year. Despite the slowdown, the government has maintained its ambitious target of constructing 40 km highways per day by 2024.
The slowdown in construction has been attributed to a variety of factors, including land acquisition challenges, delays in obtaining environment clearances, and a shortage of raw materials. However, the ministry has stated that it is taking steps to address these issues.
National highways are a crucial component of India’s infrastructure, connecting major cities and towns and facilitating movement of goods and people across the country. The government has placed a high priority on their construction and maintenance, viewing them as key to driving economic growth and development.
The shortfall in national highway construction is likely to have an impact on the pace of economic growth, as well as on the government’s infrastructure development plans. However, the government is expected to continue its efforts to accelerate the pace of construction and meet its ambitious targets in years to come.
