Budgetary allocation to road ministry jumps to Rs 2.7 trillion in 2023-24

The average annual budgetary allocation of the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) has increased by 940 per cent from Rs 25,872 crore per year during 2009-14 to Rs 2.7 trillion during 2023-24, the ministry said in a press release.

The press release stated that the length of national highways (NHs) with four lanes and above, including high-speed corridors, has increased over 250 per cent from 18,371 km in March, 2014 to 46,179 km in December 2023. "The length of national highways with less than two lanes has decreased from 27,517 km in March, 2014 to 14,870 km, which is now only about 10 per cent of the NH network," it said.

The ministry has started project implementation on 21 greenfield access-controlled corridors, including expressways, under which about 3,336-km length has been completed. Further, it has devised a mechanism to ensure maintenance and repair (M&R) of all NHs sections through accountable maintenance agencies.

The press release stated that concerning the expansion of the rail network across the country, the average annual budget for new line, gauge conversion, and doubling projects across the Indian Railways has increased by 480 per cent from Rs 11,527 crore per year during 2009-14 to about Rs 67,199 crore during 2023-24.

The ministry stated that as of April 1, 2023, as many as 459 railway infrastructure projects with a total length of 46,360 km and cost of Rs 7.18 trillion are in the planning stage. “During the period 2014-23, about 25,871 km length of railway sections [5,785 km of new line, 5,749 km of gauge conversion, and 14,337 km of doubling] has been commissioned," it said.