The pace of national highway construction has slowed significantly in the current financial year, with the rate of progress expected to be the slowest since 2016-17, according to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). Provisional data shared by the ministry on Thursday revealed that only 5,853 kilometers of highways were constructed up until December 2024, resulting in an average of 21.28 kilometers of highway being built daily—a 37% drop compared to the previous year’s 33.83 kilometers per day.
Despite the dip in construction speed, the Modi government’s highway development initiatives had seen a steady rise in recent years. In the five years ending 2018-19, over 34,976 kilometers of highways were laid, with an even greater figure of 46,464 kilometers completed between 2019 and 2024.
A senior official within the ministry, speaking anonymously, explained that the slowdown in construction was intentional and aligned with a growing emphasis on road safety and quality. “In the previous years, the focus was on rapid construction, and now, we’re prioritizing improving road quality and reducing accidents. This includes more detailed audits and studies to improve road engineering and safety measures,” the official stated.
The shift in focus comes amid rising concerns about the safety of newly built expressways, with an increase in road accidents and complaints regarding road engineering. The government has now turned its attention to enhancing safety protocols to ensure that the expressways are not just faster but safer for motorists.