Skip to main content

India unveils ‘economic corridor’ plans for 27,000km of roads

India has embarked on an ambitious 6-year plan to upgrade 27,000km of roads into economic corridors. The goal is to reduce traffic congestion and boost jobs in 30 cities, according to a report by the Times of India. Around 44 stretches of highway have been earmarked for improvement and construction will include ring-roads. Financing will be a mixture of private investment and public money. In addition, the government will develop another 15,000 km, which will serve as feeder routes to these corr
September 21, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
India has embarked on an ambitious 6-year plan to upgrade 27,000km of roads into economic corridors.

The goal is to reduce traffic congestion and boost jobs in 30 cities, according to a report by the Times of India.

Around 44 stretches of highway have been earmarked for improvement and construction will include ring-roads.

Financing will be a mixture of private investment and public money.

In addition, the government will develop another 15,000 km, which will serve as feeder routes to these corridors. It also plans to develop 40 interconnecting corridors to connect the Golden Quadrilateral and 44 economic corridors in the country, sources said. Several fund options, including private investment, loans from agencies and road development cess, are being explored by the government to finance the project.

Live Mint news website called it “by far the most ambitious roads project since…the Golden Quadrilateral connecting Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata”. That project included just under 5,900km or roadworks.

Global management firm AT Kearney is advising the central (Union) government, Live Mint noted.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Road Highways and National Highways Authority will cooperate on 82 projects to improve the road links between port cities. Highways to be built under the collaboration is part of the government's Bharatmala project, costing nearly US$60 billion, the newsmagazine SteelGur reported.

Related Content

  • India's US$100 billion highway investment
    May 29, 2012
    India intends to continue its massive investment in highway spending. Predictions for the next five years say that up to US$100 billion will be spent on road building in the country in the coming five years. The Ministry for Road Transport and Highways plans to build 35,000km of highways, with 60% being provided by the Government budget and 40% from the private sector. The Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways will open up tendering for nine highway projects. The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI
  • Norway’s E10 project is officially underway
    August 7, 2023
    Hålogalandsvegen/Skanska will finance, build, maintain and operate a section of the E10 Hålogalandsvegen and Highway 85 Tjeldsund–Gullesfjordbotn–Langvassbukt north of the Arctic Circle.
  • Sri Lanka's new highway - on track
    February 14, 2012
    Work is progressing on-track on Sri Lanka's Southern Expressway project. This will be the country's first expressway and is expected to be completed by 2012, removing the bulk of traffic from the existing coastal road that is highly congested and also has serious safety issues.
  • Mumbai’s new coastal transport link
    July 6, 2022
    Mumbai’s new coastal road presents an ambitious and challenging project that will help improve the lives of the city’s inhabitants - Mike Woof writes