NHAI to build 5,795 km National Highways in Aspirational Districts

24 Feb 2022 CW Team

Over 100 Aspirational Districts of India would undergo the construction of 5,795 km of National Highways (NHs) under a Rs one trillion programme, which is about to be unveiled.

The Road Ministry has selected 221 projects for expansion. The 5,566-km of roadways are already under construction in those districts, for Rs 66,000 crore.

The previous reports highlighted that since the financial year (FY) 2014-15, the National Highways Authority of India’s (NHAI) debt increased 14 times to over Rs three trillion from Rs 24,188 crore at the end of January 2022.

Particularly in FY22 and FY21, it borrowed nearly Rs 65,000 crore each. But reportedly, the Central Government now plans to reduce it by Rs one trillion by 2024-25.

According to the data of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), all Aspirational Districts are already connected highways.

The extension would enhance economic activity in these areas.

In the last five years, more than 6,000 km NH has been constructed, which also connects ambitious districts.

As per the ministry’s annual report, in the first nine months of FY 2021-22, 5,835-km national highways have been built.

However, over the coming five years, the total length of the national highway network in these aspirational districts would grow to more than 18,000 km.

NITI Ayog told the media that this programme mainly focuses on enhancing the ability of the people to participate fully in the burgeoning economy.

NITI Ayog revealed that the selection process is based on the total progress made across 49 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), under five broad socio-economic themes- Education, Agriculture & Water Resources, Health & Nutrition, Financial Inclusion & Skill Development and Infrastructure.

The performance and the delta-ranking of Aspirational Districts of every district are available on the Champions of Change Dashboard.

However, as per the experts, for these districts, connection (through the national highway) would be a massive multiplier in bringing growth to those places and the nearly 250 million people who live there.

Moreover, during the latest budget session, Nirmala Sitharaman, the Finance Minister, has set a target of increasing the country’s National Highways network by 25,000 km in 2022-2023, more than 12,000 km in the fiscal year 2022.

Image Source

Also read: NHAI to offer land along National Highways for realty development

Over 100 Aspirational Districts of India would undergo the construction of 5,795 km of National Highways (NHs) under a Rs one trillion programme, which is about to be unveiled. The Road Ministry has selected 221 projects for expansion. The 5,566-km of roadways are already under construction in those districts, for Rs 66,000 crore. The previous reports highlighted that since the financial year (FY) 2014-15, the National Highways Authority of India’s (NHAI) debt increased 14 times to over Rs three trillion from Rs 24,188 crore at the end of January 2022. Particularly in FY22 and FY21, it borrowed nearly Rs 65,000 crore each. But reportedly, the Central Government now plans to reduce it by Rs one trillion by 2024-25. According to the data of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), all Aspirational Districts are already connected highways. The extension would enhance economic activity in these areas. In the last five years, more than 6,000 km NH has been constructed, which also connects ambitious districts. As per the ministry’s annual report, in the first nine months of FY 2021-22, 5,835-km national highways have been built. However, over the coming five years, the total length of the national highway network in these aspirational districts would grow to more than 18,000 km. NITI Ayog told the media that this programme mainly focuses on enhancing the ability of the people to participate fully in the burgeoning economy. NITI Ayog revealed that the selection process is based on the total progress made across 49 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), under five broad socio-economic themes- Education, Agriculture & Water Resources, Health & Nutrition, Financial Inclusion & Skill Development and Infrastructure. The performance and the delta-ranking of Aspirational Districts of every district are available on the Champions of Change Dashboard. However, as per the experts, for these districts, connection (through the national highway) would be a massive multiplier in bringing growth to those places and the nearly 250 million people who live there. Moreover, during the latest budget session, Nirmala Sitharaman, the Finance Minister, has set a target of increasing the country’s National Highways network by 25,000 km in 2022-2023, more than 12,000 km in the fiscal year 2022. Image Source Also read: NHAI to offer land along National Highways for realty development

Infrastructure Urban

27 Oct 2025

Coal Ministry Achieves Milestones under Special Campaign 5.0

The Ministry of Coal and its Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) have achieved notable milestones under the Special Campaign 5.0, focusing on cleanliness, operational efficiency, and sustainability across the coal sector. During the implementation phase from 2–31 October 2025, over 1,205 sites were cleaned, covering 68,04,087 sq ft, nearing the target of 82,51,511 sq ft. Scrap disposal of 5,813 MT against a target of 8,678 MT generated Rs 228.7 million in revenue. In addition, 1,11,248 physical and 30,331 electronic files were reviewed, with 74,123 weeded out or closed. Key initiatives showc..

Infrastructure Energy

27 Oct 2025

Vesting Orders Issued for Three Coal Blocks under Commercial Auctions

The Ministry of Coal’s Nominated Authority has issued vesting orders for three coal blocks under commercial coal block auctions on 23 October 2025. The Coal Mine Development and Production Agreements (CMDPAs) for these mines were earlier signed on 21 August 2025. The three blocks include Rajgamar Dipside (Deavnara), Tangardihi North, and Mahuagarhi. Of these, two are partially explored while one is fully explored, with a combined peak rated capacity of around 1 MTPA and geological reserves of approximately 1,484.41 million tonnes. These mines are expected to generate annual revenue of abou..

Infrastructure Urban

27 Oct 2025

TEC, IIT-Hyderabad Partner to Boost 6G and Telecom Standards

The Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC), technical arm of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IIT Hyderabad) for joint research and technical collaboration in advanced telecom technologies and standardisation. The partnership focuses on developing India-specific standards and test frameworks for next-generation networks, including 6G, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs). It also aims to enhance India’s participation in international standardisation f..