New Delhi (NVI): The Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has said that the length of National Highways has gone up by 50% over the last seven years.
“Over the last 7 years, length of national highways has gone up by 50% from 91,287 km (as of April 2014) to 1,37,625 km (as on March 20, 2021),” said Gadkari.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has achieved the record-breaking milestone of constructing 37 kilometres highways per day in year 2020-21.
The Union Minister said this would not have been possible without dedication and team work of the officials and other stakeholders and felicitated the officials of Ministry of Road Transport and presented the letters of appreciation.
“These achievements are unprecedented and have no parallel in any other country in the world,” the minister added.
According to the Ministry, the total budgetary outlay has increased by 5.5 times from Rs 33,414 crore in Financial Year 2015 to Rs 1,83,101 crore in Financial Year 2022.
Meanwhile it noted that the sanctioned amount has increased by 126 % in Financial Year 2021 over Financial Year 2020 despite COVID-19 related impact.
“Sanctioned length in kilometers has also increased by 9 % in Financial Year 2021 over Financial Year 2020,” it added.
Divulging further, the ministry said that average annual project award (annual average award length) during Financial Year 2015 to Financial Year 2021 has increased by 85 % compared to FY10 to FY14 while the average annual construction (average annual construction length) during FY2015 to FY2021 has increased by 83% compared to FY2010 to FY2014.
“Cumulative cost of ongoing project works has increased by 54 % at the end of Financial Year 2021 compared to Financial Year 2020 (as on March 31),” the ministry stated.
–PRT
