25,000 Km of Highways to be Expanded
The Indian government plans to expand 25,000 km of two-lane highways to four lanes with an investment of Rs 10 lakh crore over the next two years, announced Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
Revised Traffic Threshold for Expansion
The government has revised the passenger car unit (PCU) thresholds for highway expansion:
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Two-lane roads exceeding 12,000 PCUs per day will be upgraded to four-lane highways (previously 12,500 PCUs).
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Four-lane highways crossing 20,000 PCUs per day will be expanded to six lanes.
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Highways exceeding 30,000 PCUs per day will be widened to eight lanes.
Current Highway Expansion Projects
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Detailed project reports (DPRs) for 3,500 km of two-lane highways are ready for four-lane expansion.
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DPR preparation for another 21,500 km will begin soon.
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In the past 11 years, India’s four-lane highway network has expanded by 163%, increasing from 18,000 km to 48,000 km.
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636 NH projects covering 16,422 km are underway, with an investment of Rs 6 lakh crore.
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Out of this, 8,852 km has already been completed, and the remaining work is expected to be finished by FY 2028-29.
Key Takeaway
This massive highway expansion aligns with the government’s push to build wider roads that can handle growing traffic demand, boosting connectivity and infrastructure development across India.
