Key Points

New Delhi [India], July 18 (ANI): Minister of State for Corporate Affairs and Road, Transport & Highways Harsh Malhotra addressed the Road and Highways Summit in Delhi today.

The Minister stated that, under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the guidance of Nitin Gadkari, MoRTH is committed to building a world-class road and transport infrastructure that connects people, drives economic growth, and ensures safety and sustainability for all.

Malhotra stated that over the past 11 years, the Ministry has worked tirelessly to turn PM Modi's vision into reality--connecting cities, empowering communities, and accelerating development through an unprecedented pace and scale of highway construction.

The minister stated that these modern highways are not just roads; they are lifelines of progress, connecting people, industries, and opportunities, and by expanding the network, the government has redefined the very experience of travel, making it faster, safer and significantly more comfortable for every citizen.

Malhotra stated that the national highway network has expanded from 91,000 km in 2014 to over 1.46 lakh km today, making it the second-largest road network in the world.

Minister quoted that the government's spending on road infrastructure has grown 6.4 times between 2013-14 and 2024-25 and the budget allocation for road transport and highways has seen a 57% increase from 2014 to 2023-24, reflecting the government's unwavering commitment to connectivity, mobility and economic growth.

The Minister also stated that in recent years, road infrastructure has created 45 crore man-days of direct employment, 57 crore man-days of indirect employment and 532 crore man-days of induced employment, which demonstrates the substantial impact of infrastructure projects on job creation across various sectors.

Malhotra also stated that more than 10000 kms of National Highways (NHs) have been constructed in the North Eastern Region (NER) during the past decade, which demonstrates PM Narendra Modi Ji's commitment to the region.

Malhotra mentioned the Delhi Decongestion Plan, which aims to reduce the traffic congestion and pollution in the city and would improve connectivity in the city. The plan includes extension of Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway (NE-5) from KMPE till UER-II (NH-344M) in Delhi and Haryana, Extension of UER-II (NH-344M) near Alipur till Delhi-Dehradun Expressway (NH-709B) near Tronica City in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, and Construction of a Road Tunnel starting from Dwarka Expressway (near Shiv Murti Mahipalpur) to Nelson Mandela Marg, Vasant Kunj.

The Minister stated that the Ministry is in the process of developing over 700 Wayside Amenities (WSAs) by 2028-29, which will offer clean restrooms, quality food, rest areas, fuel stations, and EV charging points.

Malhotra stated that the Ministry has accorded top priority to Road Safety and mentioned that 14,000 accident-prone blackspots have been rectified. The Minister also commended the successful implementation of schemes such as the Good Samaritan Scheme and the Cashless Golden Hour Scheme.

Shri Malhotra stated that with initiatives like the Green Highways Policy and 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam', the Ministry has planted over 4.78 crore trees and transplanted around 70,000 trees along national highways.

The Minister stated that the Ministry has also adopted sustainable construction practices, including the use of over 80 lakh tonnes of plastic waste in major projects such as UER-II and the Ahmedabad-Dholera Expressway. Additionally, fly ash from thermal power plants is being incorporated into highway construction, reducing the need for raw materials and lowering emissions.

Malhotra, at the end, said that the construction of more highways is pivotal to achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047. Every rupee invested in highway development yields a threefold return to the GDP, unlocks vast employment opportunities and opens multiple channels for revenue generation, and the government is not just building roads-- it is laying the foundation for a prosperous, peaceful, and resilient Bharat.

- ANI