Minister of State for Corporate Affairs and Road, Transport & Highways, Shri Harsh Malhotra, addressed the Road and Highways Summit in Delhi today.Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and guidance from Shri Nitin Gadkari, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is committed to building world-class road and transport infrastructure that connects people, drives economic growth, and ensures safety and sustainability for all.Shri Malhotra stated that over the past 11 years, the Ministry has worked tirelessly to realise the Prime Minister’s vision—connecting cities, empowering communities, and accelerating development through an unprecedented pace and scale of highway construction.He emphasised that these modern highways are more than roads; they are lifelines of progress, linking people, industries, and opportunities. By expanding the network, the government has transformed travel, making it faster, safer, and significantly more comfortable for all citizens.The national highway network has grown from 91,000 kilometres in 2014 to over 146,000 kilometres today, making it the second-largest road network in the world.Government spending on road infrastructure has increased 6.4 times between 2013–14 and 2024–25, while the budget allocation for road transport and highways rose by 57 per cent from 2014 to 2023–24, reflecting unwavering commitment to connectivity, mobility, and economic growth.Road infrastructure projects have generated 450 million man-days of direct employment, 570 million man-days of indirect employment, and 5.32 billion man-days of induced employment in recent years, demonstrating their significant impact on job creation across sectors.More than 10,000 kilometres of National Highways have been constructed in the North Eastern Region over the past decade, showcasing Prime Minister Modi’s commitment to the area.Shri Malhotra also highlighted the Delhi Decongestion Plan, aimed at reducing traffic and pollution while improving connectivity. The plan includes extending the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway (NE-5) from KMPE to UER-II (NH-344M) in Delhi and Haryana; extending UER-II near Alipur to the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway (NH-709B) near Tronica City; and constructing a road tunnel from Dwarka Expressway (near Shiv Murti Mahipalpur) to Nelson Mandela Marg, Vasant Kunj.The Ministry plans to develop over 700 Wayside Amenities by 2028–29, offering clean restrooms, quality food, rest areas, fuel stations, and electric vehicle charging points.Road safety remains a top priority, with 14,000 accident-prone blackspots rectified. Shri Malhotra also applauded the successful implementation of the Good Samaritan and Cashless Golden Hour schemes.Through initiatives like the Green Highways Policy and ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’, over 47.8 million trees have been planted, and around 70,000 transplanted along national highways.Sustainable construction practices include using over 8 million tonnes of plastic waste in major projects such as UER-II and the Ahmedabad–Dholera Expressway. Fly ash from thermal power plants is also incorporated in highway construction, reducing raw material use and emissions.Shri Malhotra concluded that building more highways is crucial to realising the vision of a developed India by 2047. Every rupee invested in highway development returns threefold to GDP, unlocks vast employment opportunities, and opens multiple revenue channels. The government is not just building roads—it is laying the foundation for a prosperous, peaceful, and resilient Bharat.