According to reports, India has now emerged as the second-largest country with the largest road network, surpassing China. The United States continues to hold the top position in this regard.

During a press conference the Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, “acknowledged this milestone”. The achievement comes after India successfully expanded its road connectivity by an impressive 1.45-lakh km over the past eight years.

During his tenure, Gadkari highlighted the government's focus on enhancing highways and creating new expressways. He expressed his determination to elevate India's infrastructure to new heights.

Nitin Gadkari, the Minister of Road Transport and Highways, acknowledged the commendable contribution of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), which has set an impressive seven world records during a specific period. Notably, in May of this year, NHAI accomplished the remarkable task of laying 100 kilometers of new expressway within a mere 100 hours. This feat was achieved during the construction of the upcoming Ghaziabad-Aligarh Expressway in Uttar Pradesh.

Additionally, NHAI earned a Guinness World Record in August of the previous year by successfully contracting the construction of a continuous 75-kilometer single bituminous concrete road between Amaravati and Akola on NH-53, completing it in a record time of 105 hours and 33 minutes.

Gadkari revealed that prior to his leadership; India had a road network spanning 91,287 km. Under his guidance, the NHAI has undertaken significant construction, maintenance, and improvement projects, resulting in the construction of over 30,000 km of highways and expressways across the country.

Addressing the media, Gadkari also highlighted the increase in revenue generated from highways and road construction during his tenure. He noted that toll collection revenues have risen from Rs 4,770 crore to Rs 41,352 crore over the past nine years. The central government now aims to further enhance revenue collection, targeting an impressive Rs 71.30 lakh crore in the coming years.

Furthermore, Gadkari commended the implementation of FASTags, a digital toll payment system, for revolutionizing the future of highways and expressways. The adoption of FASTags has significantly reduced long queues at toll plazas, streamlining the overall travel experience for road users.

India's achievement in expanding its road network and the government's focus on infrastructure development is expected to have a positive impact on the country's connectivity, economic growth, and overall development.

Image source: HT auto