Accelerating India’s Highways: Innovation, Speed, and Strategy
India’s road infrastructure is witnessing a paradigm shift, driven by large-scale initiatives like the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan and Bharatmala Pariyojana. Statistically speaking, as of February 28, 2025, a total of 26,425 km of road projects have been awarded, with 19,826 km already constructed. High-speed greenfield corridors, which play a pivotal role in reducing travel time and boosting connectivity between industrial hubs, logistics parks, ports, and airports, have also made significant strides, with 6,669 km awarded and 4,610 km constructed.
Under the PM Gati Shakti framework, National High-Speed Corridors (HSCs) and expressways spanning 2,474 km have been operationalized, significantly improving inter-state connectivity. Telangana alone has seen substantial progress, with four expressways covering 779 km under development, out of which 415 km have been completed. Similarly, the North Eastern states have witnessed major road development efforts, with 468 projects spanning 9,337 km undertaken at a cost of Rs.1,51,246 crore. Out of these, 232 projects have been completed, while 236 are set for completion by 2028, ensuring more inclusive infrastructure growth.
Interestingly, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has taken up one pilot project of Automated & Intelligent Machine-aided Construction (AIMC) system in Lucknow-Kanpur Greenfield Expressway Project, wherein Automated & Intelligent Machines such as GPS-aided Motor Grader, Intelligent Compactor and stringless Paver have been used. Envisaged advantages of AIMC are savings in time of construction without compromising quality of construction, increased productivity, real time digital documentation & monitoring and better control on quality parameters such as smooth levelled surface, adequately & uniformly compacted surface, etc. The government has taken up the initiative for finalizing policy for use of AIMC for National Highway Projects.
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari said, “National Highways are our national assets, and we have put a lot of emphasis on enhancing their quality and safety. We have taken measures to fix contractors’ responsibility to enhance the quality of construction and also to improve transparency in our system.” Such measures reflect the Central Government’s commitment to enhancing the road infrastructure network at a rapid pace, alongside maintaining the safety & longevity of these networks.
As India continues on its path of rapid infrastructure expansion, the interplay between policy reforms, technological innovations, financial restructuring, and advanced construction equipment will be key to achieving ambitious road development targets. Addressing persistent execution challenges with a data-driven, technology-backed, and industry-collaborative approach will be instrumental in transforming India’s highways into a model of speed, efficiency, and sustainability.
