After the awarding of new highway projects halved in 2023-24, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has conveyed to the Union Cabinet the lag in approving the revised proposal of its flagship highway development programme, Bharatmala Phase-1, whose estimated cost has doubled to more than Rs 10 trillion.
In its monthly report to the Cabinet, the ministry said awarding national highway projects between April and October had been 2,595 km as against 5,007 km during the same period last year — a dip of 48 per cent.
“If the target for award has to be met for this year, decision on the proposal for approval of the revised (Bharatmala) Phase-l or alternate programme needs to be taken expeditiously.
