Road construction has touched a record 30 km per day, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has told Lok Sabha. Responding to queries raised by members during the Question Hour recently, the highways minister said that Bharatmala Pariyojna is an important project that will change the face of the country. 

“Today, the information which I have received is that our construction record comes to 29.6 km, which means 30 km per day..., and this is for the first time that the highest record was achieved by NHAI (National Highways Authority of India) in the history of the country,” Mr Gadkari has added. In five years, the total road construction will match the likes of the US and the European nations. The government envisages building 34,800 km of highways at a cost of about Rs 5.35 lakh crore under the Bharatmala Pariyojna, the minister has said. 

Until now, the contract has been awarded for 13,521 km and a detailed project report (DPR) for 16,500 km is in the pipeline. Besides, bids have been invited for 4,800 km. The NHAI has also made a world record by laying down 12,500 cubic metres of concrete on a stretch of 2.54 km, Mr Gadkari has added.

Speaking on the Char Dham project, Mr Gadkari has informed that the ministry has taken up improvement and widening of 825 km of the existing 889 km of national highways on the route. This will provide improved and safer road connectivity from Rishikesh to Janki Chati (Yamunotri), Gangotri, Gaurikund (Kedarnath) and Mana (Badrinath), including Tanakpur to Pithoragarh section of Kailash- Mansarovar route in Uttarakhand, at a cost of Rs 12,072 crore under 53 separate projects, the minister has added.