The past few years have seen significant strides in the development and expansion of India’s road network under the Bharatmala Pariyojana. This central government initiative has made commendable progress since its inception, with a total of 322 projects covering an impressive 12,413 km being awarded as of August 2020. Notably, 2921 km of this length has been successfully constructed to date.
Overview of Bharatmala Pariyojana
Bharatmala Pariyojana is an overarching programme for the highways sector conceived by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. The project, which is currently in its first phase, aims at constructing 34,800 km of national highways in a span of five years (from 2017 to 2022) at an estimated expenditure of Rs. 5,35,000 crore. Of this target, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has mandated the development of about 27,500 km of national highways.
First Phase Challenges
According to ICRA Limited, an Indian independent investment information and credit rating agency, the completion of phase one of the Bharatmala Pariyojana is likely to face a delay of four years. The unpredictability stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic and its subsequent impact on valuations has been cited as the primary reason for this postponement.
A Glimpse into Phase-II
Looking ahead, the second phase of the Bharatmala Pariyojana is set to envisage around 48,000 km of road network across India by the year 2024.
Driving Objectives
At the heart of the Bharatmala Pariyojana are a set of key objectives. It seeks to optimize the efficiency of freight and passenger movement across the country by bridging critical infrastructure gaps through effective interventions. These include the development of economic corridors, inter corridors and feeder routes, national corridor efficiency improvement, border international connectivity roads, coastal and port connectivity roads and greenfield expressways.
Economic Corridors and Greenfield Projects
Economic corridors are integrated networks of infrastructure within a geographical area designed to stimulate economic development. On the other hand, greenfield projects pertain to development on an entirely vacant site, starting from scratch, ideal for architects looking for a fresh canvas.
Employment Opportunities and District Connectivity
The Bharatmala Pariyojana is also envisioned to generate a large number of direct and indirect job opportunities in the construction and infrastructure sector. It aims to connect 550 districts in the country through national highway linkages, thereby enhancing economic activity resulting from better road connectivity across the country.
Project Features
The project focuses on improving the efficiency of existing corridors through the development of Multimodal Logistics Parks and elimination of chokepoints. There is an increased focus on improving connectivity in the North East and leveraging synergies with Inland Waterways. It also emphasizes scientific and technological planning for Project Preparation and Asset Monitoring, including satellite mapping of corridors to identify improvement requirements. The project also delegates powers to expedite delivery and ensure successful completion of Phase I by 2022.