NHAI builds 1,470 km of national highways in April-May

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has revealed that India has constructed another 1,470 km of national highways in April and May amid Covid-induced lockdowns. The construction of national highways in India has continued to grow at a rapid rate even during the lockdown imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. According to MoRTH, NHAI has increased the construction of national highways by 73.5% compared to the same period the previous year. During these phases, many parts of India faced lockdown restrictions due to the Covid-19 crisis. The ministry told the media that NHAI constructed 847 km of national highways between April and May of this year, while 663 km of national highway projects were awarded by the end of last month. In FY21, NHAI managed to add around 4,350 km of highway projects. It is also ramping up the pipeline of highway projects to be awarded in Q1 FY22. The authority expects to bid out Rs 50,000 crore highway projects in the first quarter of the next financial year, said a report. As we have reported earlier, India made world records for fastest road construction earlier this year. NHAI created a world record in February for laying the highest quantity of concrete on the four-lane highway in one day. The feat was achieved by the contractor, Patel Infrastructure, and entered into the India Book of Records and Golden Book of World Records. NHAI also completed the development of a 25.54 km single lane stretch of road in just 18 hours and made a world record. The stretch of road that made it to the record books is situated on the four-lane highway between Vijaypur and Solapur on the NH-52. Image Source Also read: Despite second Covid wave, highway construction at 28 km per day in April Also read: Order book position of road EPC companies to improve further: CRISIL