Govt targets creation of 10,000 km of National Highways for 2025-26, lowest in seven years

The government has set a target to construct 10,000 km of national highways (NHs) in the fiscal year 2025-26, the lowest target since 2018-19, reported TOI. Despite this, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways aims for high-speed corridors and expressways to cover 5,800 km in the coming year.

According to the TOI report, since 2018-19, highway construction has fluctuated, with the lowest in 2019-20 at 10,237 km and the highest in 2020-21 at 13,327 km. Last year, 12,349 km were completed, and the ministry expects to reach around 10,500 km by March 2025.

With fewer ongoing projects and slower award rates in 2023-24, the pace of construction may remain subdued over the next two years. The ministry also plans to raise Rs 30,000 crore through the monetisation of completed projects and aims for Rs 35,000 crore in private investment.


Additionally, the government has allocated Rs 128 crore for cashless treatment for road crash victims and aims to address 1,000 black spots on highways while conducting safety audits on 40,000 km of roads.

(With inputs from TOI)