Bharatmala Pariyojana is a flagship umbrella scheme launched by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) in 2017. It represents a paradigm shift in road infrastructure development in India, moving from a project-based approach to a corridor-based approach to optimize the efficiency of freight and passenger movement.
Core Objectives
The primary goal of the programme is to bridge critical infrastructure gaps and enhance the economic competitiveness of the country.
- Logistics Cost Reduction: Aims to reduce the cost of logistics from the current high levels by improving road geometry and developing high-speed, high-capacity freight corridors.
- Efficiency Improvement: Focuses on the “hub-and-spoke” model, allowing the transition from small trucks to high-capacity 30-tonne vehicles on trunk routes.
- Connectivity Equity: Enhances connectivity to backward areas, religious/tourist sites, border areas, and coastal regions, integrating over 550 districts through a minimum 4-lane highway network.
- Export Competitiveness: Strengthens port connectivity to facilitate seamless movement of EXIM (Export-Import) cargo.
- Synergy: Acts in coordination with other national schemes like Sagarmala (port-led development) and PM Gati Shakti (multimodal planning).
Components of Phase-I
The first phase of the Pariyojana involves the development of 34,800 km of National Highways, which includes 24,800 km of new stretches and 10,000 km of residual works under the National Highway Development Project (NHDP).
| Component | Target Length (km) |
| Economic Corridors | 9,000 |
| Inter-corridor and Feeder Routes | 6,000 |
| National Corridor Efficiency Improvement | 5,000 |
| Border and International Connectivity Roads | 2,000 |
| Coastal and Port Connectivity Roads | 2,000 |
| Green-field Expressways | 800 |
Implementation and Financials
- Approval: Approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) in 2017 with an estimated outlay of ₹5,35,000 crore.
- Funding Sources: Resources are mobilized through a mix of Central Road and Infrastructure Fund (CRIF), market borrowings, monetization of existing highway assets, and private investments (PPP models like HAM and BOT).
- Implementation Agencies: Primarily executed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL).
- Monitoring: The project utilizes the Project Monitoring Information System (PMIS) and satellite mapping (ISRO) to track progress and ensure transparency in land acquisition and construction.
Current Progress (As of 2026)
As of February 2026, the programme has achieved substantial physical progress:
- Awards: Projects covering 26,425 km have been awarded.
- Construction: Over 22,200 km of roads have been constructed.
- Completion Target: The remaining balance length of the awarded projects is targeted for completion by the end of FY 2026-27.
- Policy Shift: New sanctions under the umbrella of Phase-I have been discontinued; future projects are now being sanctioned under the National Highway (Original) scheme on a standalone basis, based on traffic density and connectivity requirements.
Key Features for UPSC Prelims
- Scientific Planning: The identification of stretches is based on detailed Origin-Destination (O-D) studies and freight flow projections.
- Multimodal Logistics Parks (MMLPs): The project plans to establish 35 MMLPs to facilitate efficient cargo handling and inter-modal transfer.
- Technology Integration: Emphasis on digital project management, including the ‘Bhoomi Raashi’ portal for streamlined land acquisition and notification.
- Asset Monetization: MoRTH has actively used the Toll-Operate-Transfer (ToT) model to monetize completed assets and recycle capital into new projects.