The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has started planning for the Bharatmala Phase-II project and has identified roads with a cumulative length of 5,000 kilometres to be built under the project.
Around 65,000 kms of national highways are to be constructed under the Bharatmala project in two phases.
Under the first phase, the authority will build 34,800 kms of national highways by 2022.
Out of 34,800 kms of national highways under the first phase, over half has been awarded and the government is now preparing detailed project reports (DPRs) for projects to be built under the second phase.
In the second phase, the government will focus on expressways and access-control highways in a big manner. It always helps to have the pipeline of projects ready. It ensures that the project is delivered on time.
Award of the Phase-I of Bharatmala is expected to be complete by fiscal 2023.
The first phase of Bharatmala approved in 2017 includes construction of 24,800 km of national highways, in addition to 10,000 km of balance road works under the national highways development programme.
Approval for the second phase, however, will be taken sooner, before it is launched.
NHAI is also building a land bank to see that projects are not hit by the hurdle of land acquisition.
KEY FEATURES OF BHARATMALA PARIYOJANA
It is an umbrella program for the highways sector.
Initiated by: Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
Objectives:
(1) To optimise the efficiency of freight and passenger movement across India by bridging critical infrastructure gaps through effective interventions.
(2) To generate a large number of direct and indirect employment opportunities in the construction and infrastructure sector.
(3) To connect 550 districts in the country through national highway linkages.
Effective measures:
Development of economic corridors, inter corridors and feeder routes, national corridor efficiency improvement, border and international connectivity roads, coastal and port connectivity roads and Greenfield expressways.
Features:
(1) Improvement in the efficiency of existing corridors through the development of Multimodal Logistics Parks and elimination of chokepoint.
(2) Improving connectivity in North East and increasing harmony with Inland Waterways.
(3) Emphasis on the use of scientific and technological planning.
(4) Satellite mapping of corridor.
(5) Delegation of powers for successful completion of Phase I by 2022.