Average pace of NH construction in Apr-Dec was 28 km/day: Gadkari

The pace of highway construction during April-December 2020, on average, was 28 km a day amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Parliament was informed on Monday.

Total highways constructed across India during the period was 7,767 km, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari told Rajya Sabha in a written reply.

"Average pace of construction of National Highways (NHs) during COVID-19 pandemic in the year 2020-21 since April, 2020 to December, 2020 was 28 km per day," Gadkari said.

Of the total 7,767 km NHs constructed during the period, the highest 1,662 km was constructed in Maharashtra at a cost of Rs 6,858 crore followed by 552 km in Uttar Pradesh ( Rs 1,351 core) and 495 km in Madhya Pradesh ( Rs 1,446 crore), the minister said.

Rajasthan saw construction of 464 km of highways, Uttarakhand (441 km) and Bihar (406.50 km) during the period, he said.

Total budget including internal and extra budgetary resources (IBER) for the current fiscal year for the highways sector was Rs 1.08 lakh crore.