Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has said total length of the National Highways in the country increased by about 59 percent in the last nine years. As a result of this expansion, India now has the second largest road network, after the US. Addressing a Press Conference in New Delhi, Mr Gadkari said, the total length of National Highways was around 91 thousand kilometer in 2013-14, which has increased to over one lakh 45 thousand kilometer in 2022-23. He also said that, in the last nine years, the increase in four-lane National Highways rose about two times.
The Minister said with the introduction of FASTag, there is significant jump in the toll collection. He informed that the revenues from tolls rose to 41 thousand 342 crore in 2022-23 from four thousand 770 crores in 2013-14. Mr Gadkari said, the Government aims to increase the toll revenue to one lakh 30 thousand crore rupees by 2030. He said special emphasis is being laid on the expansion in road highway network in the North East region. The Minister said, projects worth more than two lakh crore rupees are being carried out in the region.