Bharatmala Pariyojana

Published on 16 Mar 2025

• Recently, the Government has extended the deadline for completion of the flagship highway development project Bharatmala Pariyojana to 2027-28.

• The move follows an over 100% increase in the estimated cost of the mega project and reflects the slowing of implementation, and financial constraints.

About Bharatmala Pariyojana

• It is an umbrella programme launched under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

• The first-phase of Bharatmala was announced in 2017 and was to be completed by 2022

• Bharatmala focuses on enhanced effectiveness of already built infrastructure, multi-modal integration, bridging infrastructure gaps for seamless movement and integrating National and Economic Corridors.

Six key features of the programme are :

1.  Economic Corridors: Integrating the economic corridors facilitates larger connectedness between economically important production and consumption centres.
2.  Inter-corridor and Feeder routes: This would ensure first mile and last mile connectivity.
3.  National Corridor Efficiency Improvement: Through this, the greater actionable goal is to undertake lane expansion and decongestion of existing National Corridors.
4.  Border and International Connectivity roads: Better border road infrastructure would ensure greater manoeuvrability, while also boosting trade with neighbouring countries.
5.  Coastal and Port connectivity roads: Port-led economic development is further boosted through connectivity to coastal areas, encouraging both tourism and industrial development.
6.  Green-field Expressways: Expressways have higher traffic configuration and choke points would benefit from green-field expressways

Keywords:

Indian economy Unemployment Inequality Economic reforms Industrial corridor Transport Road Railway Shipping