Road Transport & Highway Ministry Plans To Construct 50,000 Km of High-Speed Corridors By 2047

The Road Transport and Highways Ministry of India has presented a comprehensive plan aimed at transforming the nation’s highway system.

By 2047, the Ministry hopes to have 50,000 km of high-speed (access-controlled) corridors built. After the proposed high-speed corridors are completed, it is anticipated that trucks will travel at an average speed of 75–80 kmph on the National Highway network, a considerable increase from their current 45 kmph average, as reported by Financial Express.

This programme is a component of a larger plan to improve India’s infrastructure and meet the country’s growth objectives.

The proposed expansion from the current 3,913 kilometres (as of 2023) to 50,000 kilometres by 2047 represents a strategic shift in highway construction and upgrades.

According to Road Transport and Highways Secretary Anurag Jain, the project aims to improve travel efficiency by increasing the average speed of trucks on the national highway network from 45 to 75-80 kilometres per hour, which is consistent with broader infrastructure development goals.

As part of a broader policy framework to advance India towards becoming a developed economy with a targeted GDP of approximately 30 trillion USD by 2047, the ministry has completed a comprehensive vision document for the infrastructure sector. The entire length of these corridors has increased from 353 km in 2014 to 3,913 km in 2023.

Aligning Project Awards with Vision 2047: A Strategic Approach

According to Road Transport and Highways Secretary Jain, project awards will align with Vision 2047 to ensure efficient implementation and reduce overlap. This strategic approach aims to make the proposed high-speed corridors more efficient to implement.

Port Connectivity Road Projects: A Progress Update

Jain also provided updates on the status of port connectivity road projects, citing completed, awarded, and in-progress figures. Eight (294 km) of the 108 projects totaling 3,700 km have been completed, 28 (1,808 km) have been awarded, and detailed project reports for 72 (1,595 km) are currently being prepared.

Parvatmala Pariyojana: Ropeway Projects in the Works

Jain announced plans for 60 km ropeway projects under the Parvatmala Pariyojana, which are expected to be awarded by the end of the fiscal year. Furthermore, ongoing construction in Varanasi and invitations to bid on nine projects demonstrate the momentum in ropeway infrastructure.

Success of the Toll-Operate-Transfer (TOT) Model: Rs 26,366 Crore Grown up

Since its introduction in 2018, Jain has reported the Toll-Operate-Transfer (TOT) model’s achievements. With the completion of six rounds of road asset monetization through TOT, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has raised an astounding Rs 26,366 crore.