Highway construction target raised manifold; to construct 40 km roads per day

Despite the pandemic and the elusive private investor, the government has set a ambitious target to build roads worth Rs 15 lakh crore over the next one-two years. This is a stiff rise from Rs 1-1.3 lakh crore per year spent on constructing highways in recent years; while the amount hovered around Rs 1 lakh crore between FY18 and FY20, analysts estimate that around Rs 1.4 lakh crore was spent in the last financial year, given the 30% jump on year in the highway length added in the year.

Announcing the ambitious goal, minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari said on Thursday that that the process related to land acquisition and environmental clearances were being expedited.