India’s roads experienced better development in 2024 compared to preceding years. MoRTH data showed that every day the country built, on average, 27 kilometers of new roads. Compared with previous years, the performance is quite remarkable, as a sum of nearly Rs 700 crore was spent per day on road building up till February 2024 under the ministry.
As of February, the total constructed kilometers of roads was 9,088; it is the second highest figure in the last five years. In 2020-21, 11,143 kilometers were recorded as having been constructed.
The road building during the monsoon season went slow to a speed of about 21 kilometers per day. However, the pace picked up again to reach 25 kilometers daily by the end of January 2024.
However, this year has seen a slower allocation of new road projects. Road projects have been allocated for just 4,872 kilometers in the first 11 months of this fiscal year, which is the least amount in the previous three years. In February, just 1,400 kilometers of projects were awarded by the ministry.
Since the announcement of the model code of conduct for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in March, the ministry has already suspended the approval of new projects. Ongoing projects, however, would continue to be worked on, it said.
The road construction budget increased significantly in the fiscal year 2023–2024. There is a budget of Rs 2.64 lakh crore for MoRTH. Nearly three times as much as the Rs 78,625 crore in 2018–19 is this amount. After spending Rs 63,289 crore during the same period in 2018-19, the ministry spent Rs 1.34 lakh crore by February, almost reaching 90% of this year’s allocation.
Election years 2023–2024 and 2018–19 may have had an impact on progress because of political activity during these two years. Nonetheless, if one examines the state of road infrastructure development this year, it is evident that India has seen a tremendous push for connectivity.
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