New Delhi: The Parliament was recently informed about the Bharatmala Pariyojana scheme. Minister of Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari said in a written reply in Rajya Sabha that highway projects covering 26,425 km have been awarded. He added that as of October 31, 2024, 18,714 km had been constructed under the Bharatmala Pariyojana scheme in the last seven years.
Bharatmala Pariyojana: Project Completion & Funding Status
What is Bharatmala Pariyojana’s status?
The Government of India approved the Bharatmala Pariyojana in 2017. This project, covering 34,800 km, aims to improve road connectivity and lower logistics costs across the country. As of October 31, 2024, projects for 26,425 km had been awarded, and 18,714 km had been completed.
Bharatmala Map (Photo credit: Ministry of Road Transport and Highways)
Who funds Bharatmala Pariyojana?
There is no state fund allocation for the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) under the Bharatmala Pariyojana. As of November 30, 2024, NHAI has spent Rs 4.72 lakh crore on the Bharatmala Pariyojana.
State-wise Bharatmala Pariyojana Progress
List of progress of projects under Phase-I of Bharatmala for each State and Union Territory
| State | Total Length
(km) |
Length Awarded (km) | Length Constructed till October 31, 2024
(km) |
| Andhra Pradesh | 2,525 | 1,936 | 994 |
| Assam | 433 | 431 | 378 |
| Bihar | 1,572 | 1,159 | 641 |
| Chhattisgarh | 571 | 471 | 221 |
| Delhi | 203 | 203 | 178 |
| Goa | 26 | 26 | 26 |
| Gujarat | 1,577 | 1,194 | 923 |
| Haryana | 1,058 | 1,058 | 870 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 167 | 167 | 113 |
| Jammu & Kashmir | 433 | 251 | 115 |
| Jharkhand | 1,000 | 801 | 440 |
| Karnataka | 2,059 | 1,603 | 1,043 |
| Kerala | 1,126 | 708 | 396 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 3,063 | 2,017 | 1,407 |
| Maharashtra | 3,029 | 2,174 | 1,837 |
| Manipur | 635 | 635 | 394 |
| Meghalaya | 170 | 170 | 107 |
| Mizoram | 593 | 593 | 451 |
| Nagaland | 208 | 208 | 155 |
| Odisha | 1,586 | 967 | 871 |
| Punjab | 1,764 | 1,553 | 603 |
| Rajasthan | 2,503 | 2,360 | 2,241 |
| Tamil Nadu | 2,414 | 1,476 | 1,185 |
| Telangana | 1,719 | 1,026 | 746 |
| Tripura | 94 | 94 | 68 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 3,127 | 2,496 | 1,854 |
| Uttarakhand | 273 | 264 | 146 |
| West Bengal | 874 | 385 | 314 |
| Total | 34,800 | 26,425 | 18,714 |
Source: PIB
The Bharatmala Scheme includes several projects connecting major and minor ports in various coastal states, including Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal.
Key Features:
Improving Economic Corridors
Bharatmala aims to make existing roads more effective. It focuses on integrating different types of transport and filling gaps in infrastructure for smoother travel. The goal is to develop around 26,000 km of economic corridors, along with the Golden Quadrilateral (GQ) and the North-South and East-West (NS-EW) Corridors, to handle most road freight traffic.
Inter-State Corridors and Feeder Routes
These developments will improve connections for starting and ending travel. About 8,000 km of interstate corridors and 7,500 km of feeder routes have been selected to boost their effectiveness.
Better Border and International Roads
Improved roads at the border will allow for smoother movement and support trade with neighbouring countries.
Coastal and Port Roads
Connecting coastal areas to ports will encourage economic growth, tourism, and industry development.
New Expressways
Green-field expressways, which handle more traffic, will reduce congestion at busy points.
Funding Sources
The Bharatmala project will receive funding from various sources such as the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund, remittances, extra budget support, income from national highways, and private investments.