348 NH Projects Under Way; Most to Finish by FY27: Gadkari

12 Dec 2025 CW Team

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari recently told Parliament that most delayed National Highway (NH) projects are expected to be completed in the current financial year and FY 2026–27, though a few may spill over into FY 2027–28.

Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha, the minister said there are 348 under-construction NH projects that have crossed one year beyond their original completion schedules, excluding projects marked for termination or foreclosure. He added that cost overruns in some projects have occurred due to factors such as higher land and structure compensation, price escalation, changes in GST, and the addition of facilities including vehicular and passenger underpasses, service roads and design modifications to meet railway standards.

Gadkari said the government has put in place a structured monitoring framework, with regular review meetings held at multiple levels to track progress and resolve contractor-related and site-specific issues such as land acquisition, material availability and statutory clearances. He added that coordination with state governments and other stakeholders is ongoing to ensure timely project completion.

On quality and safety, the minister said NH works are executed as per Indian Roads Congress standards and approved codes of practice. Road Safety Audits are carried out independently before new roads are opened to commercial traffic, and all identified issues, including signage and road markings, are addressed prior to public use.

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