Highway construction pace in Oct falls 20% YoY in another month of decline

Dip in October has severely dented prospects of road ministry meeting its target of constructing 12,000-14,000 km of highways in 2022-23

National highway construction in the country fell by 20 per cent in the month of October as against last year, taking the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) back to another month of decline. The ministry, through its executing agencies, constructed 501 kilometres (km) of national highways in October.

After a slow start to this financial year due to unstable rains and floods, the ministry had finally improved on its 2021-22 figures in September. However, the return to a decline in October has severely dented the prospects of the ministry meeting its target of constructing 12,000-14,000 km of highways