The government today announced the fourth phase of the national highway development project (NHDP) targeting broadening of 20,000-km of existing national highways by the end of the 11th Plan.The cabinet is likely to approve a Rs 55,000 crore NHDP-III involving four-laning of 10,000-km of national highways, and a Rs 7,931 crore package for development of 6396-km of national highways and other roads in the north-eastern states within a few weeks, minister for shipping, road transport and highways T R Baalu said today.NHDP-I, called the Golden Quadrilateral, involves 4/6 laning of 5846-km national highways between Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata while the 7300-km Phase-II will connect Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Silchar to Porbandar."The government in the IVth phase plans to upgrade 20,000-km of national highways to a minimum 2-lane with paved shoulders," Baalu said, adding the remaining over 22,000 km of national highways would beupgraded in NHDP V and VI."After the cabinet approval of NHDP-III, we will initiate the process of getting the investment board approval of NHDP-IV, which may cost another Rs 35,000 crore," he said.The government plans to upgrade all the 65,569-km national highway network over the next 10 years. "The entire upgradation programme would need about Rs 1,72,000 crore," Baalu added.
