Multi-lane highway share rose to 33%, 1-lane cut to 9% in 10 yrs: Govt in Lok Sabha

The data tabled in the House shows that out of 1.46 lakh km of total national highway network, the length of 4-lane and above NHs is 48,430 km. The length of single lane/intermediate lane, which has much lower traffic capacity, has been cut down to 13,000 km, which is almost 9% of the total NHs network. The share of 2-lane NHs is still the highest — 84,774 km or 58% of the total NHs network of the country.

In the light of changing socio-economic conditions in the country and in order to ensure safe and comfortable mobility of road users and reduction in accidents, widening of roads is one of the important projects of the ministry.

Responding to the questions raised by Sanjay Haribhau Jadhav, a Shiv Sena (UBT) MP from Parbhani in Maharashtra, Gadkari said currently, a total of 636 NHs projects of four/six/eight laning in 16,422 km length, costing `6.35 lakh crore, are under construction and 8,852-km length have been completed.

“…193 NHs projects of four/six/eight laning in 5,496 km length costing `2.18 lakh crore have been approved/awarded in the country. At present, 24 NHs projects of eight-laning in 546 km length costing `44,401 crore are under construction in the country,” said Gadkari.

According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the traffic capacity for 4-lane NHS is 10,500 passenger car units or PCUs, 22,500 PCUs for 6-lane highways and 34,000 PCUs for 8-lane NHs.

Some of the key multi-lane NHs approved in 2024-25 are 88-km-long 6-lane Agra-Gwalior National High-Speed Corridor, 231-km-long 4-lane Kharagpur-Moregram National High Speed Corridor, 68-km-long 4-lane Ayodhya Ring Road, 47-km-long 6-lane Ring Road around Kanpur, 8-lane Elevated Nashik Phata Khed Corridor near Pune and 6-lane access-controlled NH from JNPA Port (Pagote) to Chowk in Maharashtra.