Bharatmala Gains Momentum as India Crosses 21,000 Km Milestone in Highway Construction

• Over 21,700 km of highways completed under Bharatmala Pariyojana by December 2025

• Programme targets 34,800 km to boost connectivity and reduce logistics costs

• Projects covering 26,425 km awarded; ₹4.93 lakh crore spent so far

• Strong focus on freight corridors, urban decongestion, and regional inclusion

• All ongoing projects targeted for completion by FY 2027–28

India’s ambitious highway expansion drive under the Bharatmala Pariyojana has achieved notable headway, with more than 21,700 kilometres of roads completed nationwide by December 2025, according to information shared by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in Parliament.

Launched in 2017, the Bharatmala Pariyojana set out to develop a total of 34,800 kilometres of national highways, with the broader objective of strengthening connectivity and bringing down logistics costs across the country. The programme’s first phase has already seen substantial on-ground progress, reflecting the scale and pace of execution.

Official data shows that highway projects spanning about 26,425 kilometres have so far been awarded. Of this, nearly 21,783 kilometres have already been built, underscoring significant physical advancement under Phase-I of the initiative. The government has also made considerable financial investments, with cumulative spending reaching approximately ₹4.93 lakh crore by February last year.

Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, responding in writing to a Lok Sabha query, confirmed these figures and highlighted the rollout of completed assets. He noted that between 2019 and 2025, a total of 236 Bharatmala projects were inaugurated across India, covering a combined length of 13,178 kilometres.

In another parliamentary response, the minister clarified that fresh project approvals under the Bharatmala framework have now been halted. Going forward, new highway works are being sanctioned at the corridor level under the National Highways (Original) category, subject to clearance by the competent authority.

The Bharatmala vision places strong emphasis on freight movement. Around 26,000 kilometres of Economic Corridors are planned, which, together with the Golden Quadrilateral and the North–South and East–West corridors, are expected to handle the bulk of road-based freight traffic. To enhance the efficiency of these major routes, nearly 8,000 kilometres of inter-corridors and about 7,500 kilometres of feeder roads have also been identified.

Urban decongestion forms another key pillar of the programme. Plans include the construction of ring roads, bypasses and elevated corridors to ease traffic flow through cities and improve logistics performance. In this regard, 28 cities have been shortlisted for ring road development, while upgrades have been planned for 125 identified choke points and 66 congestion-prone locations.

The government has set a target to complete all ongoing Bharatmala projects by the 2027–28 financial year. Beyond infrastructure creation, the initiative seeks to boost logistics efficiency, improve access to tribal and aspirational regions, support areas affected by Left Wing Extremism, and significantly cut travel time between India’s major economic hubs.