India's record pace in building roads slows down as bills rise, polls near

Terms for building expressways have been changed as the government seeks better utilisation of funds

The government’s pace of awarding contracts to build roads has slowed down in Financial Year 2023-24 (FY24), but it is still far better than its first five years from 2010 to 2014.

In eleven months of 2024, the implementing agencies of the road transport and highways ministry had awarded road projects of 3720.72 km . The length is almost 24 per cent less than the pace achieved in FY23. When dates for general elections are announced in a few weeks, all new awards will stop and the ministry will be hard put to match the annual average of 4,477 km road