*Highway network expanded from 91,000 km in 2014 to 1.46 lakh km in 2024; pace of construction rises 2.8 times to 33.8 km per day
*National highways with four or more lanes grow 2.6 times to 48,422 km; budget allocation for road sector rises by 570% since 2014
TTT NEWS NETWORK
NEW DELHI | 26 AUGUST 2025
Union Minister of State for Road, Transport and Highways & Corporate Affairs, Harsh Malhotra, today laid the foundation stone for 4 new flyovers at Panchgaon Chowk, Rathiwas, near Hero Company, and Sahlawas, Foot Over Bridges (FOBs) at 9 strategic locations along the Gurgaon–Kotputli–Jaipur section of NH-48 — Shikhopur, Manesar, Binola, Rathiwas, Malpura, Jaisinghpurkhera, Sidhrawali, Kharkhara, and Khijuri — and other engineering works, at an estimated cost of Rs. 282 crore, along with the Minister of Statistics and Planning and Minister of State for Culture, Dr. Inderjeet Yadav, Mayor, Manesar, Mrs. Raj Rani Malhotra, Mayor, Gurugram, Shri Tilak Raj Malhotra, local Councillors, and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials.
Mr. Malhotra stated that he is grateful to contribute to the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari —a vision of a Viksit Bharat, where world-class infrastructure is not a dream but a reality.
Mr.Malhotra stated that over the past 11 years, under the visionary leadership of PM Shri Narendra Modi and guidance of Shri Nitin Gadkari, the government has undertaken a massive and coordinated push to strengthen connectivity across India, completing several world-class infrastructure projects with a holistic, future-ready vision.
The minister highlighted that the national highway network in the country has expanded from 91,000 km in 2014 to over 1.46 lakh km, making it the second-largest road network globally with high-speed corridors growing from just 93 km to 2,474 km, and highways with four lanes and above increasing by 2.5 times in the last decade.
Mr. Malhotra stated that it is a matter of pride that India now builds roads at a record pace of 34 km per day, supported by a 6.4x increase in Ministry spending and a 570% rise in budget allocation since 2014.National Highway stretches with four or more lanes grew 2.6 times from 18,371 km in 2014 to 48,422 km in 2024, while the National Highway construction pace rose by 2.8 times from 12.1 km/day in 2014-15 to 33.8 km/day in 2023-24.
The minister stated that over the past 11 years, the government has played a transformative role in reshaping Gurugram into a dynamic urban and economic powerhouse. Landmark infrastructure projects such as the Dwarka Expressway, Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II), Metro Rail extensions, the Gurugram–Sohna elevated corridor, the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway and have significantly enhanced regional connectivity across Delhi-NCR.
Mr. Malhotra highlighted Minister Shri Rao Inderjit Singh’s contribution to the development of Gurgaon who has been a pivotal force in the transformation of Gurugram into a modern urban hub and elevating Gurgaon’s status as a leading economic and technological center.
Mr. Malhotra stated that the projects whose foundation stone are being laid today would ensure a safer and smoother travel experience for the residents and commuters of Gurugram, Rewari, and adjoining regions, especially service professional and would address the long-standing challenges of traffic congestion, waterlogging, and road safety along the NH-48 corridor from Kherki Dhaula to the Haryana-Rajasthan border.The 4 flyover projects at Panchgaon Chowk, Rathiwas, near Hero Company, and Sahlawas are aimed for eliminating at-grade conflicts and address accident-prone blackspots.
The Minister further highlighted that Foot Over Bridges (FOBs) at nine strategic locations along the Gurgaon–Kotputli–Jaipur section of NH-48 will be equipped with ramps and stairways to ensure accessibility for all, including two-wheelers where necessary. Also, to enhance safety and usability during night hours, the bridges will feature dedicated lighting systems, which would, in turn, significantly reduce pedestrian-related accidents and fatalities while improving overall highway safety and connectivity.
The Minister highlighted that these projects would be a stepping stone for prosperity in the region, which would not only ensure road safety but would also significantly contribute to the region and propel social and economic well-being.
Shri Malhotra stated that strategic decongestion of Delhi-NCR, where projects worth ₹80,545 crore, covering 1,679 km, have been completed, and an additional ₹7,084 crore worth of infrastructure is under implementation, and ₹23,850 crore worth of projects are in the planning stage, including extensions of the Delhi–Amritsar–Katra and Delhi–Dehradun Expressways via UER-II, the eastern extension of UER-II to Noida, Ghaziabad, and Faridabad, a 5 km road tunnel from Dwarka Expressway to Nelson Mandela Marg, a 20 km elevated corridor from AIIMS to Mahipalpur Bypass extending to Gurgaon–Faridabad Road, and a 0.5 km interchange at Kalindi Kunj near Okhla Barrage.
Shri Harsh Malhotra further said that public infrastructure is the backbone of economic development, enhancing connectivity, trade, and overall quality of life. India, the world’s fourth-largest economy, has made remarkable progress in infrastructure development over the past decade, and every rupee spent on infrastructure has a multiplier effect of 3.2 times in the GDP of the nation.
The minister further stated that this infrastructural transformation is about integrated development, economic empowerment, and regional balance and under the Pradhan Mantri Gati Shakti Master Plan, infrastructure is being developed in synergy with logistics, railways, ports, and urban planning to create seamless mobility and unlock economic potential. Shri Malhotra further directed the officials to expedite the projects in stipulated time so that it could be opened for the general public as per the schedule.
Minister Shri Harsh Malhotra at the end said that the infrastructure development is not just about building roads but would lay the foundation for transformation of India into an economic powerhouse and subsequently be a key parameter towards Viksit Bharat.
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