Road construction at 6,604 km, misses target of 15,000 km for FY17

Against a target of building 41 km of roads a day, only 20 km a day was achieved as on February 28

A total 6,604 km of highways has been constructed during the April-February period against the target of 15,000 km for the full fiscal, Parliament was informed on Monday.

"The Ministry set an ambitious target of 15,000 km for the construction of National Highways during the current financial year 2016-17 and 6,604 km has been achieved as on February 28, 2017," Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Mansukh Lal Mandaviya said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

He said the Ministry has allocated funds of Rs 1 lakh crore which includes internal and extra budgetary resources/ borrowings of Rs 59,279 crore for the development of national highways during the current financial year.

In a reply to a separate query, the Minister said the Ministry has fixed a target of building 41 km of roads a day and 20 km a day was achieved as on February 28 as against 16 km a day in 2015-16.

He said 10,471 km of national highways has been constructed during the last two financial years 2014-15 and 2015-16.