National highway projects continue to ride in first gear, shows data

Centre has awarded only 3,481 km of projects in FY24 which is nearly 60% lower than last year and 35% of its target

With two months remaining this financial year, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) in January awarded contracts for only 370 km of National Highways (NH), drifting further away from its revised target of awarding 10,000 km of contracts in 2023-24, the official data shows. Through its executing agencies such as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the Centre has awarded projects of 3,481 km in FY24. That is nearly 60 per cent lower than last year’s.

The ministry had the target of awarding 16,000 km in FY24, but the delays in revised cost estimates of the Bharatmala Pariyojana