imported>Meno25: /* National highways */

2021-08-21T18:34:39Z

National highways

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{{Use British English|date=March 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{short description|Overview of roads in India}}
[[File:India roadway map.svg|thumb|300px|Indian National Highway network map]]
[[File:2012 India highway density map for its States and Union Territories in lane kilometers per 100000 people.svg|thumb|300px|Indian highway density map in lane kilometres per 100,000 people {{as of|2012|lc=y|post=.}} Average lane kilometres per 100,000 equals average kilometres of road per 100,000 multiplied by average number of lanes per road for a country. India's average was 7.7{{nbsp}}lane km per 100,000, compared to 49 for Japan and 114 for the US.<ref>[http://morth.nic.in/showfile.asp?lid=368 Table - Distribution of density of road network], Ministry of Roads Transport and Highways, Government of India (2013)</ref>]]

[[Road]]s are an important mode of [[transport in India]]. [[India]] has a network of over {{convert|6215797|km|mi}} of roads {{as of|2020|3|31|lc=y|post=.}} This is [[List of countries by road network size|the second-largest road network]] in the world, after the [[United States]] with {{convert|6853024|km|mi}}.<ref name="roadstats2020">{{cite web|title=Annual Report 2020-2021|url=https://morth.nic.in/sites/default/files/Annual%20Report%20-%202021%20(English)_compressed.pdf|publisher=Ministry of Road Transport and Highways|access-date=31 March 2020}}</ref> At {{convert|1.90|km|mi}} of roads per square kilometre of land, the quantitative density of India's road network is equal to that of [[Guam]], and substantially higher than the United States ({{convert|0.71|km|mi|abbr=on|disp=comma}}), China ({{convert|0.54|km|mi|abbr=on|disp=comma}}), Brazil ({{convert|0.23|km|mi|abbr=on|disp=comma}}) and Russia ({{convert|0.09|km|mi|abbr=on|disp=comma}}).<ref name="roadstats2020" /> Adjusted for its large population, India has approximately {{convert|5.13|km|mi}} of roads per 1,000 people, which is much lower than Unites States {{convert|20.5|km|mi}} but higher than that of China {{convert|3.6|km|mi}}. India's road network carries over 71 percent of its freight and about 85 percent of passenger traffic.<ref>{{cite web|title=Annual Report 2020-2021|url=https://www.niti.gov.in/sites/default/files/2021-06/FreightReportNationalLevel.pdf|publisher=NITI Aayog|date=1 June 2021}}</ref>

Since the 1990s, major efforts have been underway to modernize the country's road infrastructure.<ref>{{cite web|title=India en route for grand highways|work=BBC News|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3043235.stm}}</ref> As of 31 March 2020, 66.80% of Indian roads were paved. As of March 2020, India had completed and placed into use over {{convert|136440|km|mi}} of four or more lane highways connecting many of its major manufacturing, commercial and cultural centres.<ref name="roadstats2020" /> According to Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, as of March 2020, India had about {{convert|138531|km|mi|abbr=}} of national highways and expressways, plus another {{convert|176818|km|mi}} of state highways. Major projects are being implemented under the [[Bharatmala]], a government initiative. Private builders and highway operators are also implementing major projects.<ref>[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/noida/Yamuna-Expressway-to-open-in-April-trial-runs-on/articleshow/12310774.cms?referral=PM Yamuna Expressway to open in April, trial runs on] ''The Times of India''</ref><ref>[https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/gadkari-to-open-53-km-stretch-of-kundli-manesar-palwal-expressway-on-tuesday/story-owKAgOZkJYUtyVz2imqvTK.html Gadkari to open 53-km stretch of Kundli-Manesar-Palwal expressway today] hindustantimes (5 Apr 2016)</ref>

==Organization==

The Indian road network is administered by various government authorities, given India's federal form of government. The following table shows the total length of India's road network by type of road and administering authority {{as of|2020|3|31|lc=y|post=.}}<ref name="roadstats2020" />

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Category
! Managing Authority
! Length (km)
! Length share
|-
| [[National highways in India|'''National highways''']] || [[Ministry of Road Transport and Highways]]
|151,000<ref name="roadstats2020" />
|2.19%
|-
| [[State highways in India|'''State highways''']] || Public works department of state/union territory
|186,528
|3.00%
|-
|'''District Roads'''||Public works department of state/union territory
|632,154
|10.17%
|-
|'''Rural roads'''|| [[Panchayat]]s and [[Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana|PMGSY]]
|4,535,511
|72.97%
|-
|'''Urban roads'''|| Municipal corporations and municipalities
|544,683
|8.76%
|-
|'''Project roads'''
|Various government departments of states/union territories, and [[Steel Authority of India Limited|SAIL]], [[National Mineral Development Corporation|NMDC]] and [[Border Roads Organisation|BRO]]
|354,921
|5.70%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''Total roadways'''
|'''6,215,797'''
|'''100%'''
|}

== History ==
The first evidence of road development in the [[Indian subcontinent]] can be traced back to approximately around 2800 BC in the ancient cities of [[Harrapa]] and [[Mohenjodaro]] of the [[Indus Valley Civilization]]. Ruling emperors and monarchs of ancient and medieval India continued to construct roads to connect the cities. The existing [[Grand Trunk Road]] was re-built by the [[Mauryan Empire]], and further rebuilt by subsequent entities such as the [[Sur Empire]], the [[Mughal Empire]] and the [[British Empire]].<ref>{{cite book|title=A Star Shall Fall|author=Taylor|isbn=978-81-7223-066-1|publisher=Collins|year=1995}}</ref>

In the 1830s, the [[British East India Company]] started a programme of [[road metal|metalled road]] construction ({{a.k.a.}} gravel road), for both commercial and administrative purposes. The Grand Trunk Road – from Calcutta, through Delhi to Peshawar – was rebuilt at a cost of £1,000 per mile; roads from [[Bombay]] to [[Pune]], Bombay to [[Agra]] and Bombay to [[Madras]] were constructed; and a Public Works Department and the [[Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee]] were founded, to train and employ local surveyors, engineers and overseers, to perform the work, and to maintain the roads. This programme resulted in an estimated {{convert|2500|km|mi}} of metalled roads being constructed by the 1850s.<ref>{{cite book|last1=St. John|first1=Ian|title=The Making of the Raj: India under the East India Company|date=2011|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=9780313097362|pages=83–84|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RKoNdrBULtQC&q=indian+roads+grand+trunk+road+east+india+company&pg=PA83|access-date=15 May 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Gupta|first1=Das|title=Science and Modern India: An Institutional History, c.1784-1947: Project of History of Science, Philosophy and Culture in Indian Civilization, Volume XV, Part 4|date=2011|publisher=Pearson Education India|isbn=9788131753750|pages=454–456|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Pks7BAAAQBAJ&q=indian+roads+grand+trunk+road+east+india+company&pg=PA455}}</ref>

In December 1934, the Indian Road Congress (IRC) was formed, on the recommendations of the Indian Road Development Committee ([[M. R. Jayakar|Jayakar]] Committee) of the Government of India. In 1943, they proposed a twenty-year plan to increase the road network from {{convert|350000|km|mi}} to {{convert|532700|km|mi}} by 1963, to achieve a road density of 16 km per 100 km2 of land. The construction was to be paid in part through the duty imposed, since 1939, on petrol sales. This became known as the Nagpur Plan. The construction target was achieved in the late 1950s.<ref name="Hir">{{cite web|last1=Jagarlamudi|first1=Vishnu|title=History of Road Development in India|url=https://www.scribd.com/document/285233145/History-of-Road-Development-in-India|via=Scribd|access-date=5 May 2018}}</ref> In 1956, a Highways Act was passed, and a second twenty-year plan proposed for the period 1961–1981, with the ambition of doubling road density to 32 km per 100 km2. This second plan became known as the Bombay Road Plan.<ref name="Hir" />

In 1988, an autonomous entity called the [[National Highways Authority of India]] (NHAI) was established by an Act of Parliament and came into existence on 15 June 1989. The Act empowered NHAI to develop, maintain and manage India's road network through National Highways. However, little happened until India introduced widespread economic liberalization in the early 1990s. Since 1995, NHAI has increasingly privatized road network development in India.{{citation needed|date=October 2019}}

[[File:Golden Quadrilateral.svg|thumb|[[Golden Quadrilateral]] connects the four major Metropolitan Cities of India, viz., [[Delhi]] ([[North India|north]]), [[Kolkata]] ([[East India|east]]), [[Chennai]] ([[South India|south]]) and [[Mumbai]] ([[Western India|west]]).]]
[[File:Nh76.jpg|thumb|NH76: Part of India's Golden Quadrilateral highway network]]
In 1998, [[National Highways Development Project]] (NHDP) was started by the then Prime Minister [[Atal Bihari Vajpayee]]. The flagship project of the NHDP is the [[Golden Quadrilateral]], a total of {{convert|5846|km|mi}} of four-to-six-lane highways connecting the four major cities of [[Delhi]], [[Mumbai]], [[Chennai]] and [[Kolkata]]. The total cost of the project is {{INRConvert|300|b}}, funded largely by the government's special petroleum product tax revenues and government borrowing. In January 2012, India announced that the four-lane GQ highway network was complete.<ref>{{cite web|title=Govt declares Golden Quadrilateral complete|work=The Indian Express|date=7 January 2012|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Govt-declares-Golden-Quadrilateral-complete/896873/}}</ref><ref name="nhai_progress">{{cite web|url=http://www.nhai.org/gqmain_english.htm|title=National Highways Development Project Map|publisher=National Highways Institute of India|access-date=16 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304034111/http://www.nhai.org/gqmain_english.htm|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:North-South East-West Corridors.svg|thumb|North-South East-West Corridors connects [[Srinagar]] to [[Kanyakumari (town)|Kanyakumari]] and [[Porbandar]] to [[Silchar]]]]
[[File:NH75.jpg|thumb|NH75: Part of India's NS and EW Corridor highway network]]
Another important road project of the NHDP is the {{convert|7142|km|mi|adj=on}} four-to-six-lane [[North–South and East–West Corridor]], comprising national highways connecting four extreme points of the country. The project aims to connect [[Srinagar]] in the north to [[Kanyakumari (town)|Kanyakumari]] in the south (including a spur from [[Salem, Tamil Nadu|Salem]] to Kanyakumari, via [[Coimbatore]] and [[Kochi]]), and [[Silchar]] in the east to [[Porbandar]] in the west. As of 31 October 2016, 90.99% of the project had been completed, 5.47% of the project work is under implementation and 3.52% of the total length is remaining.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.nhai.org/nsewimplementation.asp |title=Archived copy |access-date=16 January 2018 |archive-date=1 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180101183843/http://www.nhai.org/nsewimplementation.asp |url-status=dead }}</ref>

As of May 2017, under NHDP, about {{convert|28915|km|mi}} of four-to-six-lane highways have been constructed (including the GQ and N–S/E–W Corridor), while a total of {{convert|48793|km|mi}} of road has been planned to have four-to-six lanes under the NHDP.<ref>{{cite web|title=About NHDP|url=http://nhai.gov.in/about-nhdp.htm|publisher=NHAI|access-date=16 January 2018}}</ref>

[[Bharatmala]] is a centrally-sponsored and funded road and highways project of the [[Government of India]],<ref name="Ecotimes">{{citation|title=Bharat Mala: PM Narendra Modi's planned Rs 14,000 crore road from Gujarat to Mizoram|date=29 April 2015|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2015-04-29/news/61652753_1_crore-road-road-connectivity-road-network|work=[[The Economic Times]]|location=New Delhi}}</ref> started in 2017, with a target of constructing {{cvt|83677|km|mi}}<ref name=new1>{{citation |title=Ministry proposes construction of 20,000 km of roads under Bharat Mala project |url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2016-01-09/news/69634613_1_draft-cabinet-note-finance-ministry-roads-ministry |date=9 January 2016 |work=[[The Economic Times]] |location=New Delhi }}</ref> of new highways at an estimated cost of {{INRConvert|5.35|t}}. Bharatmala Phase I plans to construct {{convert|34800|km|mi}} of highways (including the remaining projects that were under NHDP) by 2021–22, at an estimated cost of {{INRconvert|535000|c}}.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.india.gov.in/spotlight/bharatmala-pariyojana-stepping-stone-towards-new-india|title=Bharatmala Pariyojana - A Stepping Stone towards New India {{!}} National Portal of India|website=www.india.gov.in|language=en|access-date=2018-01-18}}</ref> In 2021, Asia's longest high speed track, [[National Automotive Test Track, Indore|National Automotive Test Track]] was inaugurated in [[Indore]], which would be used to measure the maximum speed capabilities of high-end cars and other categories of vehicles.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Jun 29|first=ANI {{!}}|last2=2021|last3=Ist|first3=16:04|title=Javadekar virtually unveils Asia's longest high-speed track in Indore - Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/auto/news/javadekar-virtually-unveils-asias-longest-high-speed-track-in-indore/articleshow/83951024.cms|access-date=2021-06-29|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref>

India's rate of road building has accelerated since 2010s. It averaged about {{Convert|12|km|mi}} per day in {{nowrap|2014–15}} and {{Convert|30|km|mi|abbr=}} per day in 2018–19.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.financialexpress.com/industry/highway-construction-grew-20-pct-in-2017-18/1120576/|title=Highway construction grew 20 pct in 2017-18|date=2018-04-04|work=The Financial Express|access-date=2018-04-11|language=en-US}}</ref> The country's target is to build {{convert|40|km|mi}} of highways per day.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/highway-spend-set-to-treble-in-modis-term/articleshow/62482132.cms|title=Budget 2018: Allocation for highways set to treble in Modi's term - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=2018-01-15}}</ref>

On July 21, 2021, [[Ministry of Road Transport and Highways|Minister of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH)]] [[Nitin Gadkari]] said that India has created a world record of constructing {{Convert|2.5|km|mi}} of four-lane concrete road in 24 hours and {{Convert|26|km|mi}} of single lane bitumen road in just 21 hours as per the highest IRC norms and specifications of the MoRTH to ensure quality control. Also, an average of {{Convert|36.5|km|mi}} of highways have been constructed every day during 2020-21.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://falanadikhana.com/in-2020-21-highway-construction-has-paced-to-36-5-km-day|title=2020-21 में भारत में प्रतिदिन बनी 36.5 KM लंबी सड़क, अब तक सबसे बड़ा रिकॉर्ड|work=Falana Dikhana|access-date=2021-07-21}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|+Growth of Road Network by Categories (km)<ref name="roadstats2020" />
!Road Category
!1950–51
!1960–61
!1970–71
!1980–81
!1990–91
!2000–01
!2010–11
!2015–16
!'''2020-21'''
|-
|'''National Highways'''
|19,811 (4.95%)
|23,798 (4.54%)
|23,838 (2.61%)
|31,671 (2.13%)
|33,650 (1.45%)
|57,737 (1.71%)
|70,934 (1.52%)
|101,011 (1.80%)
|'''151,000 (2.51%)'''
|-
|'''State highways'''
|^
|^
|56,765 (6.20%)
|94,359 (6.35%)
|127,311 (5.47%)
|132,100 (3.92%)
|163,898 (3.50%)
|176,166 (3.14%)
|'''186,528 (3.00%)'''
|-
|'''District roads'''
|173,723 (43.44%)
|257,125 (49.02%)
|276,833 (30.26%)
|421,895 (28.40%)
|509,435 (21.89%)
|736,001 (21.82%)
|998,895 (21.36%)
|561,940 (10.03%)
|'''632,154 (10.17%)'''
|-
|'''Rural roads'''
|206,408 (51.61%)
|197,194 (37.60%)
|354,530 (38.75%)
|628,865 (42.34%)
|1,260,430 (54.16%)
|1,972,016 (58.46%)
|2,749,804 (58.80%)
|3,935,337 (70.23%)
|'''4,535,511 (72.97%)'''
|-
|'''Urban roads'''
|0
|46,361 (8.84%)
|72,120 (7.88%)
|123,120 (8.29%)
|186,799 (8.03%)
|252,001 (7.47%)
|411,679 (8.80%)
|509,730 (9.10%)
|'''544,683 (8.76%)'''
|-
|'''Project roads'''
|0
|0
|130,893 (14.31%)
|185,511 (12.49%)
|209,737 (9.01%)
|223,665 (6.63%)
|281,628 (6.02%)
|319,109 (5.70%)
|'''354,921 (5.71%)'''
|-
|'''Total'''
|399,942
|524,478
|914,979
|1,485,421
|2,327,362
|3,373,520
|4,676,838
|5,603,293
|'''6,215,797'''
|-
| colspan="9" |Figures in parenthesis indicate the percentage of total road length for that fiscal year.
|}

==Types of roads==

===Expressways===
[[File:Delhi Noida Direct flyway (Uttar Pradesh - 2011-06-18).jpg|thumb|Delhi Noida Direct (DND Flyway)]]
[[File:Mumbai Pune ExpresswayDec2007.jpg|thumb|Mumbai Pune Expressway]]
{{Main|Expressways of India}}

Expressways are high-speed roads that are four- or more lanes, and are [[controlled-access highway|access controlled]] where entrance and exit is controlled by the use of [[Interchange (road)|ramps]] that are incorporated into the [[Controlled-access highway#Design|design of the expressway]]. Most of the existing expressways in India are [[toll roads]].<ref name="13e">{{cite web|title=Check out India's 13 super expressways|publisher=Rediff|date=July 2011|url=http://www.rediff.com/business/slide-show/slide-show-1-indias-13-super-highways/20110705.htm}}</ref> Expressways make up approximately {{convert|2091|km|abbr=on|}} of India's road network, as of 2020.<ref name=ibef2010>{{cite web|title=India Roads – November 2010|publisher=IBEF|date=November 2010|url=http://www.ibef.org/download/Roads_270111.pdf}}</ref><ref name=13e/> The government has drawn up a target to build a {{convert|18637|km|mi|adj=on}} network of new expressways by 2022.<ref>{{cite web|title=Project Report on Indian National Expressway Network|publisher=Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India|date=October 2011|url=http://morth.nic.in/index2.asp?slid=44&sublinkid=17&lang=1}}</ref>

National Expressways Authority of India (NEAI) operating under the [[Ministry of Road Transport and Highways]] will be in-charge of the construction and maintenance of expressways.<ref name="toi_nov2009">{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/5259102.cms|title=By 2022, govt to lay 18,637km of expressways|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|first=Dipak Kumar|last=Dash|date=23 November 2009}}</ref> The [[National Highways Authority of India|NHAI]] by [[Government of India]] aims to expand the expressway network and plans to add an additional {{convert|18637|km|abbr=on}} of expressways by 2022 apart from existing national highways.<ref name="dna_expressways">{{cite news|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report_expressway-cost-pegged-at-rs20-crore-km_1381235|title=Expressway cost pegged at Rs 20 crore/km|work=Daily News and Analysis|first=Ashutosh|last=Kumar|access-date=16 September 2016}}</ref>

India's first 8-lane wide access-controlled expressway, the [[Delhi Noida Direct Flyway]] (DND Flyway), operational in January 2001, is an expressway connecting [[Delhi]] and [[Noida]] in the states of Delhi and [[Uttar Pradesh]]. The [[Mumbai Pune Expressway]], connecting [[Mumbai]] and [[Pune]] in [[Maharashtra]] fully operational in 2002, is India's first 6-lane wide access-controlled [[tollway|tolled expressway]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.roadtraffic-technology.com/projects/mumbai/ |title=Mumbai-Pune Expressway, India |publisher=Road Traffic Technology |access-date=2010-08-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Rs 7,000-cr project to add more lanes to expressway, NH-4 |url=http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/rs-7000-cr-project-to-add-more-lanes-to-expressway-nh-4/|access-date=21 November 2015|work=The Indian express|agency=Express News Agency|date=6 February 2015}}</ref> The [[Yamuna Expressway]] is a {{convert|165|km|mi|abbr=on|adj=on}} six-lane controlled-access expressway opened on 9 August 2012.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/cheat-sheet/yamuna-expressway-from-delhi-to-agra-opens-10-facts-253115|title=Yamuna Expressway from Delhi to Agra opens: 10 facts}}</ref> On 21 November 2016, the {{convert|302|km|mi|abbr=on|adj=on}} six-lane [[Agra Lucknow Expressway]] was opened.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.in/eight-fighter-jets-to-land-on-agra-lucknow-expressway/articleshow/55412366.cms|title=Eight fighter jets to land on Agra-Lucknow expressway|website=Business Insider}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/8-fighter-jets-at-opening-of-agra-lucknow-expressway-indias-longest-1627999|title=6 Jets Touch Down For Opening of Agra-Lucknow Expressway, India's Longest|website=NDTV.com}}</ref> Under construction as of 2019, the [[Mumbai–Nagpur Expressway]] is expected to become the largest expressway in the country. Several expressway projects, such as the [[Chennai–Bangalore Expressway|Chennai-Bangalore Expressway]], [[Chennai-Salem Expressway]], [[Delhi–Jaipur Expressway|Delhi-Jaipur Expressway]], Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway are planned/under-construction. [[Ganga Expressway]] is approved and expected to be under-construction by end of 2021.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/infrastructure/up-to-build-worlds-longest-expressway-yogi-adityanath/articleshow/67739366.cms|title=UP to build world's longest Expressway: Yogi Adityanath|date=29 January 2019|work=The Economic Times}}</ref>

===National highways===
[[File:National Highway 16 (old NH 5) at Visakhapatnam.jpg|thumb|National Highway 16 (old NH 5) running through [[Visakhapatnam]] in Andhra Pradesh, a part of the [[Golden Quadrilateral]] highway network]]

{{Main|National highways of India}}

National highways are highways connecting major cities throughout the country and are [[Intersection (road)|at-grade roads]]. National Highways are designated with NH, followed by the highway number. Indian national highways are further classified based on the width of the carriageway of the highway. India has {{convert|142126|km|mi|abbr=on}} of National Highways as of April 2019.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ministry of Road Transport and Highways|url=http://morth.nic.in/showfile.asp?lid=2923|access-date=25 October 2017}}</ref> National Highways constituted 2.7% of India's total road network, but carried about 40% of road traffic, as of 2013.<ref name="indiatimes1">{{cite news |title=NDA regime constructed 50% of national highways laid in last 30 years: Centre |first=Dhananjay |last=Mahapatra |url= http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/NDA-regime-constructed-50-of-national-highways-laid-in-last-30-years-Centre/articleshow/20869113.cms |newspaper=The Times of India |date=2 July 2013 |access-date= 18 April 2015}}</ref> In 2016, the government vowed to double the highway length from 96,000 to 2,00,000 km.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/national-highways-road-length-to-be-increased-from-96000-km-to-200000-km-nitin-gadkari/477303/|title=National Highways road length to be increased from 96,000 km to 2,000,000 km: Nitin Gadkari|date=17 December 2016|work=The Financial Express|access-date=27 June 2017|language=en-US}}</ref>

The [[National Highways Authority of India]] (NHAI) is the authority responsible for the development, maintenance and management of the National Highways entrusted to it. The NHAI has been undertaking developmental activities under the [[National Highways Development Project]] (NHDP) in five phases. From 2018, the pending projects under NHDP are expected to be subsumed under [[Bharatmala]]. The NHAI is also responsible for implementing other projects on National Highways, primarily road [[Landscape connectivity|connectivity]] to major ports in India.

The [[Golden Quadrilateral]] and [[North–South and East–West Corridor]] were major ongoing highway development projects in India.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
|+'''National Highway classification (as of 31 March 2016)'''<ref name="roadstats2020" />
!Lanes!!Length (km)!!Length share
|-
|Single-lane/intermediate lane|| align="right" |20,703|| align="right" |20.49%
|-
|Double-lane|| align="right" |55,603|| align="right" |55.05%
|-
|Four-lane/six-lane/eight-lane|| align="right" |24,705|| align="right" |24.46%
|-
|Total|| align="right" |136,440|| align="right" |100%
|}

===State highways===
[[File:Gujarat State Highway 6.jpg|thumb|Gujarat State Highway 41]]
{{Main|State highways in India}}

State highways are highways connecting major cities throughout a state and are also [[Intersection (road)|at-grade roads]]. They also connect with National Highways or state highways of neighboring states. State Highways are designated with SH, followed by the highway number and preceded by state code. As of 31 March 2020, the total length of state highways was {{convert|186,528|km|mi}}.<ref name="roadstats2020" /> As of 31 March 2020, [[Maharashtra]] has the largest share of state highways among all states (22.14%), followed by [[Karnataka]] (11.11%), [[Gujarat]] (9.76%), [[Rajasthan]] (8.62%) and [[Tamil Nadu]] (6.67%).<ref name="roadstats2020" />

State governments have the authority and responsibility to build state highways. Most of the state highways are developed by state public works departments. Independently of the [[Bharatmala]] program, state governments have been implementing a number of state highway projects since 2000. By 2010, state highway projects worth US$1.7 billion had been completed, and projects worth an additional US$11.4 billion were under implementation.<ref name="csh1">{{cite web|url=http://infrastructure.gov.in/pdf/Compendium_State_Highways.pdf|title=Compendium of PPP Projects in State Highways|date=June 2010|publisher=Secretariat for Infrastructure, Govt of India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425145038/http://infrastructure.gov.in/pdf/Compendium_State_Highways.pdf|archive-date=25 April 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===District roads===
[[File:Trivandrum Kerala India Road.jpg|thumb|District roads in India]]District Roads in India are approximately {{convert|632154|km|mi}}, of which 14.80% of the total length was surfaced.<ref name="roadstats2020" />

The [[District Councils of India|Zila Parishad]]s have the authority and responsibility to build district roads.

=== Rural roads ===
[[File:Bijupara-Khalari Road - Jharkhand 1648.JPG|thumb|A rural road in [[Jharkhand]]]]

Rural roads form a substantial portion of the country's road network, forming 72.97% of the total of roads, as of March 2020. As of the same date, the percentage of unsurfaced roads to the total road length was 31%.<ref name="roadstats2020" />

For the development of these rural roads, [[Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana]] (Prime Minister's Rural Roads Scheme) was launched in December 2000 by the Indian government to provide connectivity to isolated rural habitations. The scheme envisions that these roads will be constructed and maintained by the village panchayats. In some parts of India, the government has attempted to manage the programme directly as a local social spending program.<ref>{{cite web|title=India's boom bypasses the poor|work=The Wall Street Journal|date=29 April 2011|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704081604576143671902043578}}</ref>

In other parts of India, the {{transl|hi|Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana}} and a sister program named {{transl|hi|Bharat Nirman}} (Build India) have privatized the rural road construction projects and deployed contractors. The effort has aimed to build all-season single-lane asphalted roads to connect India's rural and remote areas. A significant portion of funding for these projects has come from the [[World Bank]] and the [[Asian Development Bank]].<ref>{{cite web|title=New all weather roads boost rural incomes, India|publisher=The World Bank|year=2009|url=http://go.worldbank.org/JRKRCR0H50}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|+Growth of Rural Road Network (km)<ref name=pmgsy>{{cite web|title=Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) including Bharat Nirman (Rural Connectivity) Program Review|date=July 2011|publisher=Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India|url=http://rural.nic.in/sites/presentations.asp}}</ref>
|-
! !! Length 2001 !! Length 2011 !! Length 2021
|-
| Total rural roads || 2.7 million || 3.1 million || 4.5 million
|-
| Paved unmaintained rural roads || 0.5 million || ||
|-
| Unpaved rural roads || 2.2 million || 1.9 million ||
|-
| Paved maintained rural roads || || 728,871 ||
|-
| New rural roads || || 322,900 || 82,743 || 1,500,000
|}

=== Border roads ===
{{See also|India-China Border Roads}}
{{See also|Border Roads Organisation}}

==Issues==

===Congestion===

India's intra-city vehicle speed is among the lowest in the world. As per a study by [[Ola Cabs]], in 2017, the average traffic speed in [[Delhi]] was {{convert|25|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/surprise-surprise-bengaluru-traffic-speed-slowest-says-study-ola-73943|title=Surprise Surprise, Bengaluru traffic speed slowest says study by Ola|date=2017-12-30|work=The News Minute|access-date=2018-04-11}}</ref> Amongst other major cities, the average traffic speed in [[Chennai]] was {{convert|18.9|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}, in [[Mumbai]] was {{convert|20.7|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}, in [[Kolkata]] was {{convert|19.2|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}, in Hyderabad was {{convert|18.5|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}, and in Bengaluru was {{convert|17.2|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}.<ref name=":1" />

===Fatalities===
The [[World Health Organization]]'s compilation of road network safety data for major economies found India to have the highest number of road fatalities in the world, with 299,091 deaths caused by road accidents in 2016. Also, fatalities per 100,000 population stay among the highest, at 22.6.<ref>{{cite web|title=Global Status Report on Road Safety|year=2018|publisher=World Health Organization|url=https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241565684}}</ref> Of total fatalities, 40% were of riders of 2/3 wheelers, 18% were of drivers and passengers of 4-wheeled cars and light vehicles, 18% were of drivers and passengers of buses and heavy trucks, 10% of pedestrians, 2% of cyclists and 13% of other.<ref>{{cite web|title=Global Status Report on Road Safety|year=2018|publisher=World Health Organization|url=https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241565684}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|India|Roads}}
* [[Transport in India]]
* [[List of National Highways in India by highway number]]
* [[List of National Highways in India by old highway number]]
* [[Expressways in India]]
* Impact of roads on the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) in India<ref>https://www.teriin.org/sites/default/files/2019-05/rural-roads-sdgs.pdf</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Roads in India}}
* [https://www.top01to10.com/2020/01/status-of-road-in-our-countryindia.html classification-of-roads-in-india Types of roads Classification of roads in India]


{{Highways in India}}
{{Road types}}
{{Social issues in India}}

[[Category:Roads in India| ]]
[[Category:Road transport in India]]

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	==See also==		==See also==
	~~{{Portal\|India\|Roads}}~~
	* [[Transport in India]]		* [[Transport in India]]
	* [[List of National Highways in India by highway number]]		* [[List of National Highways in India by highway number]]