Lok Sabha Question No. 69 (STARRED), answered on 2016-07-21
Subject: Scientific Road Network Pattern
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT, SADHVI SAVITRI BAI PHOOLE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 69

ANSWERED ON 21 ST  JULY, 2016

## SCIENTIFIC ROAD NETWORK PATTERN

## *69. DR. HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT: SADHVI SAVITRI BAI PHULE:

## Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री

be pleased to state:

(a) whether India has over one lakh kilometers of National Highways but there is no scientific road network pattern and if so, the reaction of the Government thereto;

(b) whether the National Highways Authority of India has prepared a grid of 27 horizontal and vertical National Highway corridors at a distance of every 250 km. criss crossing the country, if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether most of the roads in the corridors are single or two lanes, if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether the Government proposes to convert them into four lane roads, if so, the details thereof; and

(e) the steps taken by the Government to improve connectivity in each region and also improve highway link to major ports of the country?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## (SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)

(a) to (e) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  to  (e)  OF  LOK  SABHA STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  69  ANSWERED  ON  21.07.2016  ASKED  BY  DR.  HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT AND SUSHREE SADHVI SAVITRI BAI PHULE REGARDING SCIENTIFIC ROAD NETWORK PATTERN

(a) The  total  length  of  National  Highways  (NHs)  in  the  country  is  about  1,03,519  km. State  roads  are  declared  as  new  NHs  from  time  to  time  on  the  basis  of  well  established principles;  the  criteria  for  State  roads  for  declaration  as  new  NHs  include  roads  running through length / breadth of the country, connecting adjacent countries, National Capitals with State  Capitals  /  mutually  the  State  Capitals,  major  ports,  non-major  ports,  large  industrial centers  or  tourist  centers,  roads  meeting  very  important  strategic  requirement  in  hilly  and isolated  area,  arterial  roads  which  enable  sizeable  reduction  in  travel  distance  and  achieve substantial  economic growth thereby, roads which help opening up large tracts of backward area and hilly regions (other than strategically important ones), achieving a National Highways grid of 100 km, etc.

(b) to (d) The  National  Highways  Authority  of  India  (NHAI)  has  made  a  preliminary attempt in identification of primary NH network comprising of 27 North-South and East-West grids  for  total  length  of  about  38,700  km  with  average  network  spacing  of  about  250  km. However, declaration of State Roads as new NHs are done from time to time keeping in view the requirements of connectivity, inter-se priority and availability of funds. Further, decision for  upgradation  of  existing  NH  Network  to  4-lane  standards  are  taken  depending  upon  the traffic density, terrain type, inter-se priority and availability of funds.

The  Ministry  has  approved  'In-Principle'  declaration  of  about  42,745  km  length  of State roads as new NHs subject to outcome of their Detailed Project Reports (DPRs).

(e) The  Ministry  has  taken  up  development  of  NHs  under  various  phases  of  National Highways Development Project (NHDP), Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for  the  North  East  Region  (SARDP-NE)  including  Arunachal  Pradesh  Package  of  Roads, Special Programme for Development of Roads in the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas, National Highways Interconnectivity Improvement Project (NHIIP), etc.

The Ministry has taken up detailed review of NHs network with a view to improve the road  connectivity  to  coastal  /  border  areas,  backward  areas,  religious  places,  tourist  places, construction / rehabilitation / widening of major bridges and Railway Over Bridges (ROBs) / Railway  Under  Bridges  (RUBs)  on  NHs,  improvement  of  newly  declared  NHs  providing connectivity to District Head Quarters, road connectivity towards integration with Sagarmala, Connectivity  Improvement  Program  for  Char-Dham  (Kedarnath,  Badrinath,  Yamunothri  & Gangothri in Uttarakhand) etc., under proposed new programmes. However, these programmes are yet to be formally launched.

Development of about 340 km length of NH / roads have been completed for providing connectivity to major ports in the country under NHDP Phase-I and other programmes. Further, road connectivity of about 17.2 km to International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT) at  Vallarpadam  in  Kerala  has  also  been  completed.  Two  projects  in  about  9.35  km  length (Mormugao Port Road and Vishakhapatnam Port Road) have been awarded.

Apart  from  this,  Chennai  Ennore  Port  Road  project  in  about  1.2  km  length  is  in progress.

The project  from  Chennai  Port  to  Maduravoyal  was  held  up  due  to  litigation.  It  has since been terminated.

*****