Roads ministry seeks nod for Rs.22 trillion highway development plan

02 Jul 2024 CW Team

In a big push for infrastructure development, the road transport and highways ministry has sought Cabinet approval for Rs.22 trillion investments in a highway development plan covering around 30,600 km by 2031-32.

The plan, submitted to the finance ministry and shared with all key ministries last week, includes construction of 18,000 km of expressways and high-speed corridors, decongestion of 4,000 km national highways around cities and building of strategic and international roads.

Around 35 per cent of the investment will come from the private sector. The master plan for highway development has been proposed in two phases.

The Rs.22 trillion estimate is for projects to be taken up in the first phase. Once completed, the average travel speed of trucks on the national highway network will go up to 85 kmph from the current 47 kmph.

The average travel speed on highways is over 100 kmph in the US and 90 kmph in China. The government expects that increasing the average speed will help India achieve its target of reducing logistic costs to 9-10 percent of the GDP.

Infrastructure Transport

06 Feb 2026

Lucknow Metro East-West Corridor Consultancy Contract Awarded

The Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation has awarded the first construction-related consultancy contract for the Lucknow Metro East West Corridor to a joint venture of AYESA Ingenieria Arquitectura SAU and AYESA India Pvt Ltd. The firm was declared the lowest bidder for the Detailed Design Consultant contract for Lucknow Metro Line-2 under Phase 1B and the contract was recommended following the financial bid. The contract is valued at Rs 159.0 million (mn), covering design services for the corridor. Lucknow Metro Line-2 envisages the construction of an 11.165 kilometre corridor connecting Cha..

Div Com Kashmir Urges Fast Tracking Of Jhelum Water Transport Project

The Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir has called for the fast-tracking of the Jhelum water transport project, urging district administrations and relevant agencies to accelerate planning and clearances. In a meeting convened at the divisional headquarters, the commissioner instructed officials from irrigation, public health engineering and municipal departments to prioritise the project and coordinate survey and design work. The directive emphasised removal of administrative bottlenecks and close monitoring to ensure timely mobilisation of resources and contractors. Officials were told to in..

Interarch Reports Strong Q3 And Nine Month Results

Interarch Building Solutions Limited reported unaudited results for the third quarter and nine months ended 31 December 2025, recording strong revenue growth driven by execution and a robust order book. Net revenue for the third quarter rose by 43.7 per cent to Rs 5.225 billion (bn), compared with Rs 3.636 bn a year earlier, reflecting heightened demand in pre-engineered building projects. The company’s total order book as at 31 January 2026 stood at Rs 16.85 bn, supporting near-term visibility. EBITDA excluding other income for the quarter increased by 43.2 per cent to Rs 503 million (mn),..