Bharatmala Pariyojana: A scheme to connect Nation with black strip

The government initiated the Bharatmala project in 2017 to connect the nation with smooth roads. Under this scheme, a host of new roads will be laid down in the nation.

Hyderabad: For connecting the areas and maintaining a smooth flow of traffic government initiated the first phase of Bharatmala Pariyojana in 2017.

It is an umbrella program for the highways sector that focuses on optimizing efficiency of freight and passenger movement across the country by bridging critical infrastructure gaps through effective interventions like development of Economic Corridors, Inter Corridors and Feeder Routes, National Corridor Efficiency Improvement, Border and International connectivity roads, Coastal and Port connectivity roads and Green-field expressways.

Union minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari had announced the first phase of the scheme in the presence of Prime Minister Narendera Modi in 2017 with an estimated cost of Rs 5.35 lakh crore.

This umbrella project includes development of Economic Corridors, Inter-Corridors & feeder roads, National Corridor Efficiency improvement, Border & International connectivity roads, Coastal & port connectivity roads, Expressways, and some other ongoing projects.

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Some key features of Bharatmala Pariyojana

Around 65,000 km of national highways are to be constructed under the scheme. Under its first phase, the National Highways Authority of India(NHAI) will build 34,800 km of highways by 2022.

Land acquisition cost has exponentially increased over the last few years to around Rs 3.40 crore per hectare currently against Rs 90 lakh per hectare in 2013-14, as per ratings agency ICRA. Land cost alone accounts for more than 30% of the total expenses of NHAI, ICRA said in a recent report.

Awards for the phase-I of Bharatmala are expected to be completed by the Financial Year(FY) 2023, while execution is expected to be completed by FY25.

Awards for the phase-I of Bharatmala is expected to be completed by FY23, while execution is expected to be completed by FY25.

NHAI is looking to raise around Rs 65,000 crore in FY22 and FY23 to fund the project. The authority plans to use various funding modes, including an infrastructure investment trust NSE -0.39 % (InvIT), and toll-operate-transfer model to fund the Bharatmala Pariyojana.

NHAI’s debt at the end of FY20 was Rs 2.49 lakh crore, and it will cross the Rs 3 lakh crore mark if it meets its borrowing target for the ongoing fiscal year. The total debt of the highways building authority has risen over ten times since the BJP government took charge in 2014-15, when it stood at Rs 24,188 crore.

Implementing Bharatmala Pariyojana

Roads in Border / Coastal areas have been taken up as part of Bharatmala Pariyojana Phase-I while roads in Religious/Tourist places have been taken up under NH (O) schemes.

Out of 2,000 km of Border and International Connectivity roads targeted for award under Bharatmala Pariyojana Phase-I, 977 kms length has been awarded by National Highways Authority of India against which 849 kms length has already been completed. Details of the roads awarded under Border and International Connectivity roads are at Annexure-I.

Against the target for completion of 2,000 kms of Coastal and Port Connectivity roads under Bharatmala Pariyojana Phase-I, NHAI has awarded 168 kms length out of which 14 km has already been completed.

Here are the details of the projects approved under Bharatmala Pariyojana and status of implementation

details of the projects approved under Bharatmala Pariyojana

The State/UT-wise details are as under:

The State/UT-wise details