New Delhi [India], Sep 2 (ANI): Highways are integral to the functioning of the country, connecting people, goods and raw materials. The rapid expansion and transformation of the Indian road network has ensured that India is on a consistent track to reach the best standards in the world.
Under the central government’s ‘Bharatmala’ project, India is building a robust network of roads, highways and expressways.
India also aims to build at least 26 green expressways by 2025.
About 60 percent of Indian freight traffic is carried through the road and highway system.
Improved mobility provided by a growing network of highways and expressways is expected to lead the change and help reduce logistics costs to 10 per cent of GDP from the current 16-18 per cent.
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari recently said, “In India, we can reduce logistics cost by 10 to 12 percent. A savings of 4 to 6 per cent means we will be more competitive in the international market. By which we are going to increase our exports and at the same time reduce this cost, we are also going to increase our growth rate.
According to a report released by Bank of America Securities India, the pace of growth in the country is expected to pick up in the coming years.
The report states that the total length of national highways in the country is expected to reach 112,000 miles.
The report further indicated that India is set to build more national highways during the decade ending 2025 than it has cumulatively built between 1950 and 2015.
As per the current estimates, the highway construction industry will register a tremendous growth of 133 percent by 2025, which is more than any other country in the world in recent times.
India, which is already setting a record of 30 km of roads per day, is aiming to reach its target of building 60 km per day.
Gadkari said, “The government is working dedicatedly for the development of 2 lakh km of national highway network by 2025. This is a big deal.”
The focus of the government has not been limited to the construction of major roads connecting major industrial cities.
The government aims to connect every metro, town and village through a robust road connectivity system.
Launched in 2000, the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana), which aims to provide connectivity to rural areas, has covered a length of 780,000 km since inception.
The strengthening of the existing rural road network has increased the speed of travel and trade manifold.
Babu Khan, a villager from Rajouri district said, “This road built under the PMGSY scheme is well constructed. This area was once a backward area and there were no roads, but now this problem is solved.
India’s growing road and highway network has reached even the neglected and treacherous areas of the northeastern and northern parts of the country.
The Border Roads Organization is working overtime to build roads along the Indian border to enhance the country’s military capabilities.
In the face of an ambitious and expansionist China, developing road infrastructure for rapid logistics support is of paramount importance.
The government believes that the country will have the best road network in the world in the coming years, which will not only play a vital role in the economy of the country but will also set an example for other countries across the world.
The milestones already achieved in this area speak for themselves. The road to a successful ‘Brand India’ is paved by strong and ever-growing Indian roads. (ANI)
This report is automatically generated from ANI news service. ThePrint assumes no responsibility for its contents.