ARTICLE AD BOX
India’s nationalist road web has grown sharply implicit the past decade, becoming the second-largest successful the world. The full magnitude present stands astatine 146,560 km, compared with 91,287 km successful 2014, an enlargement of implicit 61%.
The summation has mostly travel from the propulsion to physique high-speed corridors and four-lane highways nether the Bharatmala Pariyojana. The government’s adjacent signifier of roadworthy gathering is expected to absorption connected access-controlled highways, with greater usage of exertion and sustainability measures successful construction. For 2025–26, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has been fixed a fund allocation of much than Rs 2.87 lakh crore. Within this, the ministry has identified a 13,400-km pipeline of projects to beryllium developed done the public-private concern (PPP) model.
These projects are estimated to impact an concern of astir Rs 8.3 lakh crore and are planned to beryllium rolled retired implicit the adjacent 3 years, ET reported. The ministry is besides preparing to motorboat a nationalist infrastructure concern trust, Raajmarg InvIT. Through this route, astir 1,500 km of completed and operational nationalist highways are expected to beryllium brought to the marketplace implicit the adjacent 3 to 5 years. The thought is to rise funds that tin beryllium utilized for aboriginal road development.
Despite the standard of expansion, the assemblage continues to look respective bottlenecks:
- Project approvals person slowed.
- Issues astir prime and timely execution remain.
- Developers besides constituent to the request of completing 80% onshore acquisition earlier enactment begins.
- Cost overruns and contractual disputes besides look persistent challenges.
What Budget 2026 should absorption on?
- Making an umbrella strategy to velocity up approval
- Continuing with superior expenditure approvals
- Laying retired a wide roadmap for higher monetisation
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has suggested mounting up a National Infrastructure Guarantee Corporation. The connection is aimed astatine improving capitalist confidence, reducing financing costs and helping unlock stalled projects.
