Delhi, June 28: India has achieved a significant milestone by becoming the second-largest country with the largest road network globally, surpassing China. This achievement highlights the remarkable growth of India’s infrastructure.
While the United States of America (USA) retains the first position, India has secured the second spot by expanding its road connections to a staggering 1.45 lakh kilometers over the past eight years.
Nitin Gadkari, the Minister for Road Transport and Highways, expressed his delight at this accomplishment. He emphasized that India has been dedicatedly working towards enhancing highways and constructing greenfield expressways for the past nine years. The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has made substantial progress on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, a monumental project that is nearing completion.
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Gadkari revealed that when he assumed office, India’s road network comprised only 91,287 kilometers. However, under his leadership, the country has witnessed the construction of over 30,000 kilometers of highways and expressways, significantly expanding the road infrastructure nationwide.
In addition to the remarkable expansion of the road network, Gadkari shared impressive statistics on revenue collection. Toll collection, which amounted to Rs 4,770 crore in the past, has now surged to Rs 41,352 crore over the last nine years. The central government has set an ambitious target to increase revenue collection up to 71.30 lakh crore in the coming years, reflecting their commitment to further development and progress.
India’s achievement in establishing the second-largest road network is a testament to the country’s unwavering focus on infrastructure growth. This accomplishment not only improves connectivity and accessibility but also paves the way for enhanced economic opportunities and development across the nation.
