Wider highways, tunnels, flyovers and land acquisition raised Bharatmala cost

Government prioritises 4-lane e-way construction

The government is expected to revise the method of measuring highway construction in the country from 'road km' to 'lane km' starting from this financial year, with the emphasis now shifting towards constructing more expressways and roads consisting of at least four lanes. For the purpose of comparing with previous data, the details of national highway construction from earlier years will be converted to lane km.

The linear length method is employed for gauging the progress of construction and widening of National Highways (NHs). Consequently, both a single kilometre of a six-lane roa..

A Bridge Too Far

In a viral video on X with the caption ‘Andheri ka Andher’, stand-up comedian and lyricist Varun Grover makes fun of engineers and officials for ‘misjudging’ the height difference between the Gokhale Bridge, which was partially reopened to traffic in February following its collapse in 2018 and Barfiwala Flyover. He quips that officials have realised their ‘error of judgement’ years later and decided to rebuild the bridge. Indeed, the bridge reconstruction, which cost Rs 900 million, has sparked off a debate on who is responsible for causing the gap of about 6 feet between the br..

Govt rejects Delhi Airport's request for development fee

The government has refused to grant permission to Delhi airport for imposing an airport development fee (ADF) to fund a Rs 35 billion elevated air train corridor connecting its three terminals. Instead, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has instructed the GMR Group-operated Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) to explore alternative funding methods and later impose a user development fee (UDF) once the train becomes operational.

DIAL is currently seeking external funding, either through debt or equity, according to a senior executive of the private airport. The air train project aims to..

GIS mapping of all National Highways to be completed soon

The government announced its intention to complete GIS mapping of all National Highways with the aim of enhancing planning, execution, and monitoring processes.

It was conveyed by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH) that project implementing units of various agencies, including the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Border Roads Organisation (BRO), and National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL), were instructed to indicate their jurisdiction on a dashboard.

The primary goal of this standard operating procedure (SOP) was t..

Highway Construction Accelerates Despite Election Season

Highway construction in India has not slowed down during the current election season, according to officials. Instead, there has been a noticeable acceleration in road infrastructure projects across the country.

Authorities highlight that the construction momentum has been maintained despite the electoral activities, underscoring the government's commitment to advancing infrastructure development. This proactive approach aims to enhance connectivity, facilitate economic growth, and improve transportation efficiency nationwide.

The surge in highway construction activity reflects s..