Roads in India

The Indian road network is administered by various government authorities, given India's federal form of government. The following table shows the total length of India's road network by type of road and administering authority {{as of|2020|3|31|lc=y|post=.}}

File:State Highway No.2 between Patratu and Ranchi.jpg]]

File:Roadevol.svg, Inset A: shows the major prehistorical cultural currents, B: pre-Mauryan routes, C: Mauryan routes, D: routes c. 1st century CE, and E: the Z-shaped region of developed roads.]]

File:Old Grand Trunk Road.jpg, one of the oldest roads in Asia. Originally built by Ashoka and rebuilt by Sher Shah Suri. Kos Minars (right) were used to mark major routes. ]]

The first evidence of road development in the Indian subcontinent can be traced back to approximately around 2800 BC in the ancient cities of Harrapa and Mohenjodaro of the Indus Valley civilization. Ruling emperors and monarchs of ancient and medieval India continued to construct roads to connect the cities. The existing Grand Trunk Road was re-built by the Mauryan Empire, and further rebuilt by subsequent entities such as the Sur Empire, the Mughal Empire and the British Empire.{{cite book|title=A Star Shall Fall|author=Taylor|isbn=978-81-7223-066-1|publisher=Collins|year=1995}}

In the 1830s, the British East India Company started a programme of metalled road construction ({{a.k.a.}} gravel road), for both commercial and administrative purposes. The Grand Trunk Road – from Calcutta, through Delhi to Peshawar – was rebuilt at a cost of £1,000 per mile; roads from Bombay to Pune, Bombay to Agra and Bombay to Madras were constructed; and a Public Works Department and the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee were founded, to train and employ local surveyors, engineers and overseers, to perform the work, and to maintain the roads. This programme resulted in an estimated {{convert|2500|km|mi}} of metalled roads being constructed by the 1850s.{{cite book|last1=St. John|first1=Ian|title=The Making of the Raj: India under the East India Company|date=2011|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=9780313097362|pages=83–84|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RKoNdrBULtQC&q=indian+roads+grand+trunk+road+east+india+company&pg=PA83|access-date=15 May 2018}}{{cite book|last1=Gupta|first1=Das|title=Science and Modern India: An Institutional History, c.1784-1947: Project of History of Science, Philosophy and Culture in Indian Civilization, Volume XV, Part 4|date=2011|publisher=Pearson Education India|isbn=9788131753750|pages=454–456|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Pks7BAAAQBAJ&q=indian+roads+grand+trunk+road+east+india+company&pg=PA455}}

In December 1934, the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) was formed, on the recommendations of the Indian Road Development Committee (Jayakar Committee) of the Government of India. In 1943, they proposed a twenty-year plan to increase the road network from {{convert|350000|km|mi}} to {{convert|532700|km|mi}} by 1963, to achieve a road density of 16 km per 100 km² of land. The construction was to be paid in part through the duty imposed, since 1939, on petrol sales. This became known as the Nagpur Plan. The construction target was achieved in the late 1950s.{{cite web|last1=Jagarlamudi|first1=Vishnu|title=History of Road Development in India|url=https://www.scribd.com/document/285233145/History-of-Road-Development-in-India|via=Scribd|access-date=5 May 2018|archive-date=9 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309035410/https://www.scribd.com/document/285233145/History-of-Road-Development-in-India|url-status=live}} In 1956, a Highways Act was passed, and a second twenty-year plan proposed for the period 1961–1981, with the ambition of doubling road density to 32 km per 100 km². This second plan became known as the Bombay Road Plan.

In 1988, an autonomous entity called the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) was established by an Act of Parliament and came into existence on 15 June 1989. The Act empowered NHAI to develop, maintain and manage India's road network through National Highways. However, little happened until India introduced widespread economic liberalization in the early 1990s. Since 1995, NHAI has increasingly privatized road network development in India.{{Cite web|title=Roadways in India - Road Industry, Network, Projects & FDI|url=https://www.investindia.gov.in/sector/roads-highways|access-date=2021-09-07|website=www.investindia.gov.in|language=en|archive-date=21 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921021152/https://www.investindia.gov.in/sector/roads-highways|url-status=live}}

File:Golden Quadrilateral.svg connects the four major Metropolitan Cities of India, viz., Delhi (north), Kolkata (east), Chennai (south) and Mumbai (west).]]

File:Nh76.jpg

In 1998, National Highways Development Project (NHDP) was started by the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The flagship project of the NHDP is the Golden Quadrilateral, a total of {{convert|5846|km|mi}} of four-to-six-lane highways connecting the four major cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. The total cost of the project is {{INRConvert|300|b}}, funded largely by the government's special petroleum product tax revenues and government borrowing. In January 2012, India announced that the four-lane GQ highway network was complete.{{cite web|title=Govt declares Golden Quadrilateral complete|work=The Indian Express|date=7 January 2012|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Govt-declares-Golden-Quadrilateral-complete/896873/|access-date=16 January 2018|archive-date=8 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140108133041/http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Govt-declares-Golden-Quadrilateral-complete/896873|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.nhai.org/gqmain_english.htm|title=National Highways Development Project Map|publisher=National Highways Institute of India|access-date=16 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304034111/http://www.nhai.org/gqmain_english.htm|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}

Another important road project of the NHDP is the {{convert|7142|km|mi|adj=on}} four-to-six-lane North–South and East–West Corridor, comprising national highways connecting four extreme points of the country. The project aims to connect Srinagar in the north to Kanyakumari in the south (including a spur from Salem to Kanyakumari, via Coimbatore and Kochi), and Silchar in the east to Porbandar in the west. As of 31 October 2016, 90.99% of the project had been completed, 5.47% of the project work is under implementation and 3.52% of the total length is remaining.{{Cite web |url=http://www.nhai.org/nsewimplementation.asp |title=.:NHAI:.Completed Stretches on Golden Quadrilateral |access-date=16 January 2018 |archive-date=1 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180101183843/http://www.nhai.org/nsewimplementation.asp |url-status=dead }}

As of May 2017, under NHDP, about {{convert|28915|km|mi}} of four-to-six-lane highways have been constructed (including the GQ and N–S/E–W Corridor), while a total of {{convert|48793|km|mi}} of road has been planned to have four-to-six lanes under the NHDP.{{cite web|title=About NHDP|url=http://nhai.gov.in/about-nhdp.htm|publisher=NHAI|access-date=16 January 2018|archive-date=10 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170910102250/http://www.nhai.gov.in/about-nhdp.htm|url-status=live}}

The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) is a Public Sector Enterprise(PSE) created by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), Government of India in the year 2014 to build highways in technical challenging and high altitude regions of the Northeast India, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. It has the task to implement the Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for North Eastern Region (SARDP-NE) in National Highways portion. The SARDP-NE is under implementation in Phases.

• Phase-A: Approved in 2005, it included about 4,099 km length of roads (3,014 km of NH and 1,085 km of State roads). The SARDP-NE Phase ‘A’ is expected to be completed by 2023–24.{{cite news|url=https://www.morth.nic.in/sardp-including-arunachal-pradesh-package|title=SARDP NE MoRTH|access-date=2 September 2021|archive-date=2 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210902165130/https://www.morth.nic.in/sardp-including-arunachal-pradesh-package|url-status=live}}
• Phase-B: It covers 3,723 km (2,210 km NHs and 1,513 km of State roads) of road. Phase ‘B’ of SARDP-NE shall be taken up after completion of Phase ‘A’.

Bharatmala is a centrally-sponsored and funded road and highways project of the Government of India,{{citation|title=Bharat Mala: PM Narendra Modi's planned Rs 14,000 crore road from Gujarat to Mizoram|date=29 April 2015|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2015-04-29/news/61652753_1_crore-road-road-connectivity-road-network|work=The Economic Times|location=New Delhi|access-date=18 January 2018|archive-date=17 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160917232112/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2015-04-29/news/61652753_1_crore-road-road-connectivity-road-network|url-status=dead}} started in 2017, with a target of constructing {{cvt|83677|km|mi}}{{citation |title=Ministry proposes construction of 20,000 km of roads under Bharat Mala project |url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2016-01-09/news/69634613_1_draft-cabinet-note-finance-ministry-roads-ministry |date=9 January 2016 |work=The Economic Times |location=New Delhi |access-date=18 January 2018 |archive-date=12 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160912111438/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2016-01-09/news/69634613_1_draft-cabinet-note-finance-ministry-roads-ministry |url-status=dead }} of new highways at an estimated cost of {{INRConvert|5.35|t}}. Bharatmala Phase I plans to construct {{convert|34800|km|mi}} of highways (including the remaining projects that were under NHDP) by 2021–22, at an estimated cost of {{INRconvert|535000|c}}.{{Cite web|url=https://www.india.gov.in/spotlight/bharatmala-pariyojana-stepping-stone-towards-new-india|title=Bharatmala Pariyojana - A Stepping Stone towards New India {{!}} National Portal of India|website=www.india.gov.in|language=en|access-date=2018-01-18|archive-date=18 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180118183227/https://www.india.gov.in/spotlight/bharatmala-pariyojana-stepping-stone-towards-new-india|url-status=live}} In 2021, Asia's longest high speed track, National Automotive Test Track was inaugurated in Indore, which would be used to measure the maximum speed capabilities of high-end cars and other categories of vehicles.{{Cite web|date=June 29, 2021|title=Javadekar virtually unveils Asia's longest high-speed track in Indore|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/auto/news/javadekar-virtually-unveils-asias-longest-high-speed-track-in-indore/articleshow/83951024.cms|access-date=2021-06-29|website=The Times of India|language=en|archive-date=29 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210629151634/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/auto/news/javadekar-virtually-unveils-asias-longest-high-speed-track-in-indore/articleshow/83951024.cms|url-status=live}}

India's rate of road building has accelerated since 2010s. It averaged about {{Convert|12|km|mi}} per day in {{nowrap|2014–15}} and {{Convert|30|km|mi|abbr=}} per day in 2018–19.{{Cite news|url=http://www.financialexpress.com/industry/highway-construction-grew-20-pct-in-2017-18/1120576/|title=Highway construction grew 20 pct in 2017-18|date=2018-04-04|work=The Financial Express|access-date=2018-04-11|language=en-US|archive-date=12 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180412001029/http://www.financialexpress.com/industry/highway-construction-grew-20-pct-in-2017-18/1120576/|url-status=live}} The country's target is to build {{convert|40|km|mi}} of highways per day.{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/highway-spend-set-to-treble-in-modis-term/articleshow/62482132.cms|title=Budget 2018: Allocation for highways set to treble in Modi's term - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=2018-01-15|archive-date=15 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180115081626/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/highway-spend-set-to-treble-in-modis-term/articleshow/62482132.cms|url-status=live}}

On July 21, 2021, the Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said that India has created a world record of constructing {{Convert|2.5|km|mi}} of four-lane concrete road in 24 hours and {{Convert|26|km|mi}} of single lane bitumen road in just 21 hours as per the highest IRC norms and specifications of the MoRTH to ensure quality control. Also, an average of {{Convert|36.5|km|mi}} of highways have been constructed every day during 2020–21.{{Cite news|url=https://falanadikhana.com/in-2020-21-highway-construction-has-paced-to-36-5-km-day|title=2020-21 में भारत में प्रतिदिन बनी 36.5 KM लंबी सड़क, अब तक सबसे बड़ा रिकॉर्ड|work=Falana Dikhana|access-date=2021-07-21|archive-date=21 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210721043056/https://falanadikhana.com/in-2020-21-highway-construction-has-paced-to-36-5-km-day/|url-status=live}} As of 2021, 64.5% of all goods in India are moved through the country's road network, 90% of India's total passenger traffic uses the road network to commute and the road network contributes 4.8% to the country's gross domestic product.{{Cite web |last=Sood |first=Deepak |date=2021-10-23 |title=India's road network can pave the path to rapid economic recovery in coming years |url=https://www.financialexpress.com/policy/economy-indias-road-network-can-pave-the-path-to-rapid-economic-recovery-in-coming-years-2355010/ |access-date=2023-09-24 |website=Financial Express |language=en}}

In 2023, India's road network became the world's second largest, after the United States.{{Cite web |last=Staff Writer |date=2023-06-27 |title=India's road network grows 59% in last 9 years: Gadkari |url=https://www.livemint.com/industry/infrastructure/indias-road-network-grows-59-in-last-9-years-gadkari-11687870574906.html |access-date=2023-09-19 |website=Mint |language=en |archive-date=17 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230917211352/https://www.livemint.com/industry/infrastructure/indias-road-network-grows-59-in-last-9-years-gadkari-11687870574906.html |url-status=live }} From 2013 to 2014 to 2022 to 2023, the country's road network grew by approximately 59%. In August 2023, the Border Roads Organisation, a statutory body under the Ministry of Defence, began construction on the Likaru-Mig La-Fukch road in Ladakh, which on its completion will be the world's highest motorable road.{{Cite web |last=Anand |first=Nisha |date=2023-08-19 |title=In Ladakh, construction for world's new highest motorable road begins. Details |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/in-ladakh-construction-for-worlds-new-highest-motorable-road-begins-details-101692411157867.html |access-date=2023-09-19 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en |archive-date=15 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230915190706/https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/in-ladakh-construction-for-worlds-new-highest-motorable-road-begins-details-101692411157867.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Deshpande |first=Smruti |date=2023-08-18 |title=Higher than Umling La, world's highest motorable road coming up in eastern Ladakh, courtesy BRO |url=https://theprint.in/defence/higher-than-umling-la-worlds-highest-motorable-road-coming-up-in-eastern-ladakh-courtesy-bro/1719984/ |access-date=2023-09-19 |website=ThePrint |language=en-US |archive-date=20 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240120043258/https://theprint.in/defence/higher-than-umling-la-worlds-highest-motorable-road-coming-up-in-eastern-ladakh-courtesy-bro/1719984/ |url-status=live }}

{{Main|Expressways of India}}

As per NHAI and Indian Roads Congress, expressways are access controlled highways with a divided carriageway, designed for high speed vehicular movement and heavy traffic.{{Cite web | title=Archived copy | url=https://tis.nhai.gov.in/UploadGazatte/gazatte_notification.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250308011759/https://tis.nhai.gov.in/UploadGazatte/gazatte_notification.pdf | archive-date=2025-03-08}} Most of the existing expressways in India are toll roads.{{cite web|title=Check out India's 13 super expressways|publisher=Rediff|date=July 2011|url=http://www.rediff.com/business/slide-show/slide-show-1-indias-13-super-highways/20110705.htm|access-date=30 November 2011|archive-date=26 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210426173444/https://www.rediff.com/business/slide-show/slide-show-1-indias-13-super-highways/20110705.htm|url-status=live}} Expressways make up approximately {{convert|5,579|km|abbr=on|mi}} of India's road network, as of 2024.{{cite web|title=India Roads – November 2010|publisher=IBEF|date=November 2010|url=http://www.ibef.org/download/Roads_270111.pdf|access-date=30 November 2011|archive-date=5 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405224644/http://www.ibef.org/download/Roads_270111.pdf|url-status=live}}

National Expressways Authority of India (NEAI) operating under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways will be in-charge of the construction and maintenance of expressways.{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/5259102.cms|title=By 2022, govt to lay 18,637km of expressways|newspaper=The Times of India|first=Dipak Kumar|last=Dash|date=23 November 2009|access-date=10 January 2020|archive-date=26 November 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091126042422/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/5259102.cms|url-status=live}} The NHAI by Government of India aims to expand the expressway network and plans to add an additional {{convert|18637|km|abbr=on}} of expressways by 2024 apart from existing national highways.{{cite news|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report_expressway-cost-pegged-at-rs20-crore-km_1381235|title=Expressway cost pegged at Rs 20 crore/km|work=Daily News and Analysis|first=Ashutosh|last=Kumar|access-date=16 September 2016|archive-date=25 September 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120925082513/http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report_expressway-cost-pegged-at-rs20-crore-km_1381235|url-status=live}}

India's first 8-lane wide access-controlled expressway, the Delhi Noida Direct Flyway (DND Flyway), operational in January 2001, is an expressway connecting Delhi and Noida in the states of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. The Mumbai Pune Expressway, connecting Mumbai and Pune in Maharashtra fully operational in 2002, is India's first 6-lane wide access-controlled tolled expressway.{{cite web |url=http://www.roadtraffic-technology.com/projects/mumbai/ |title=Mumbai-Pune Expressway, India |publisher=Road Traffic Technology |access-date=2010-08-21 |archive-date=2 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171002124346/http://www.roadtraffic-technology.com/projects/mumbai |url-status=live }}{{cite news|title=Rs 7,000-cr project to add more lanes to expressway, NH-4|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/rs-7000-cr-project-to-add-more-lanes-to-expressway-nh-4/|access-date=21 November 2015|work=The Indian express|agency=Express News Agency|date=6 February 2015|archive-date=7 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221207043208/https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/rs-7000-cr-project-to-add-more-lanes-to-expressway-nh-4/|url-status=live}} The Yamuna Expressway is a {{convert|165|km|mi|abbr=on|adj=on}} six-lane controlled-access expressway opened on 9 August 2012.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/cheat-sheet/yamuna-expressway-from-delhi-to-agra-opens-10-facts-253115|title=Yamuna Expressway from Delhi to Agra opens: 10 facts|access-date=10 August 2012|archive-date=10 August 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120810211126/http://www.ndtv.com/article/cheat-sheet/yamuna-expressway-from-delhi-to-agra-opens-10-facts-253115|url-status=live}} On 21 November 2016, the {{convert|302|km|mi|abbr=on|adj=on}} six-lane Agra Lucknow Expressway was opened.{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.in/eight-fighter-jets-to-land-on-agra-lucknow-expressway/articleshow/55412366.cms|title=Eight fighter jets to land on Agra-Lucknow expressway|website=Business Insider|access-date=7 September 2019|archive-date=3 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403024417/https://www.businessinsider.in/Eight-fighter-jets-to-land-on-Agra-Lucknow-expressway/articleshow/55412366.cms|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/8-fighter-jets-at-opening-of-agra-lucknow-expressway-indias-longest-1627999|title=6 Jets Touch Down For Opening of Agra-Lucknow Expressway, India's Longest|website=NDTV.com|access-date=7 September 2019|archive-date=4 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190904114335/https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/8-fighter-jets-at-opening-of-agra-lucknow-expressway-indias-longest-1627999|url-status=live}} Under construction as of 2019, the Mumbai–Nagpur Expressway is expected to become the largest expressway in the country. Several expressway projects, such as the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway, Amritsar–Jamnagar Expressway, Surat–Chennai Expressway, Delhi-Jaipur Expressway, Lucknow-Kanpur Expressway are planned/under-construction. Ganga Expressway is approved and expected to be under-construction by end of 2021.{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/infrastructure/up-to-build-worlds-longest-expressway-yogi-adityanath/articleshow/67739366.cms|title=UP to build world's longest Expressway: Yogi Adityanath|date=29 January 2019|work=The Economic Times|access-date=11 August 2021|archive-date=18 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118041432/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/infrastructure/up-to-build-worlds-longest-expressway-yogi-adityanath/articleshow/67739366.cms|url-status=dead}}

The Trans Harbour bridge is the longest bridge in India and it will be opened on 12 January 2024, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates the bridge. It connects Bombay with Navi Mumbai.{{cite web | url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/mumbai-trans-harbour-link-photos-videos-cost-mthl-traffic-rules-mumbai-police-2487221-2024-01-11 | title=Speed limit 100 km/Hr, no bikes and autos: All about India's longest sea bridge | access-date=12 January 2024 | archive-date=12 January 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240112071751/https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/mumbai-trans-harbour-link-photos-videos-cost-mthl-traffic-rules-mumbai-police-2487221-2024-01-11 | url-status=live }}{{cite web | url=https://www.livemint.com/news/india/atal-setu-indias-longest-bridge-news-pm-modi-inaugurate-mumbai-trans-harbour-link-mthl-today-11705023137497.html | title=Atal Setu news: PM Modi to inaugurate Mumbai Trans Harbour Link today | date=12 January 2024 | access-date=12 January 2024 | archive-date=12 January 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240112071719/https://www.livemint.com/news/india/atal-setu-indias-longest-bridge-news-pm-modi-inaugurate-mumbai-trans-harbour-link-mthl-today-11705023137497.html | url-status=live }}

{{Main|National highways of India}}

File:North-South East-West Corridors.svg to Kanyakumari and Porbandar to Silchar]]File:NH75.jpgNational highways are highways connecting major cities throughout the country with premium quality and are at-grade roads. National Highways are designated with NH, followed by the highway number. Indian national highways are further classified based on the width of the carriageway of the highway. India has around {{convert|150000|km|mi|abbr=on}} of National Highways as of April 2021 and is expected to reach 200,000 km By 2024 consisting of Top Notch Highways And Expressways.{{cite web|title=Ministry of Road Transport and Highways|url=http://morth.nic.in/showfile.asp?lid=2923|access-date=25 October 2017}} National Highways constituted 2.7% of India's total road network, but carried about 40% of road traffic, as of 2013.{{cite news |title=NDA regime constructed 50% of national highways laid in last 30 years: Centre |first=Dhananjay |last=Mahapatra |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/NDA-regime-constructed-50-of-national-highways-laid-in-last-30-years-Centre/articleshow/20869113.cms |newspaper=The Times of India |date=2 July 2013 |access-date=18 April 2015 |archive-date=24 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170924054702/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/NDA-regime-constructed-50-of-national-highways-laid-in-last-30-years-Centre/articleshow/20869113.cms |url-status=live }} In 2016, the government vowed to double the highway length from 96,000 to 2,00,000 km.{{Cite news|url=http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/national-highways-road-length-to-be-increased-from-96000-km-to-200000-km-nitin-gadkari/477303/|title=National Highways road length to be increased from 96,000 km to 2,000,000 km: Nitin Gadkari|date=17 December 2016|work=The Financial Express|access-date=27 June 2017|language=en-US|archive-date=25 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225031037/https://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/national-highways-road-length-to-be-increased-from-96000-km-to-200000-km-nitin-gadkari/477303/|url-status=live}}

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) are the authorities responsible for the development, maintenance and management of the National Highways in India. The NHAI has been undertaking developmental activities under the National Highways Development Project (NHDP) in five phases. From 2018, the pending projects under NHDP are expected to be subsumed under Bharatmala. The NHAI is also responsible for implementing other projects on National Highways, primarily road connectivity to major ports in India.

The Golden Quadrilateral and North–South and East–West Corridor were major ongoing highway development projects in India.

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{{Main|State highways in India}}

State highways are highways connecting major cities throughout a state and are also at-grade roads. They also connect with National Highways or state highways of neighboring states. State Highways are designated with SH, followed by the highway number and preceded by state code. As of 31 March 2020, the total length of state highways was {{convert|186,528|km|mi}}. As of 31 March 2020, Maharashtra has the largest share of state highways among all states (22.14%), followed by Karnataka (11.11%), Gujarat (9.76%), Rajasthan (8.62%) and Tamil Nadu (6.67%).

State governments have the authority and responsibility to build state highways. Most of the state highways are developed by state public works departments. Independently of the Bharatmala program, state governments have been implementing a number of state highway projects since 2000. By 2010, state highway projects worth US$1.7 billion had been completed, and projects worth an additional US$11.4 billion were under implementation.{{cite web|url=http://infrastructure.gov.in/pdf/Compendium_State_Highways.pdf|title=Compendium of PPP Projects in State Highways|date=June 2010|publisher=Secretariat for Infrastructure, Govt of India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425145038/http://infrastructure.gov.in/pdf/Compendium_State_Highways.pdf|archive-date=25 April 2012|url-status=dead}}

File:Trivandrum Kerala India Road.jpg]]

District Roads in India are approximately {{convert|632154|km|mi}}, of which 14.80% of the total length was surfaced. Zila Parishads also have the authority and responsibility to build district roads.

File:Bijupara-Khalari Road - Jharkhand 1648.JPG]]

File:Rural Roads in India (Chhattisgarh).jpg]]

Rural roads form a substantial portion of the country's road network, forming 72.97% of the total of roads, as of March 2020. As of the same date, the percentage of unsurfaced roads to the total road length was 31%.

For the development of these rural roads, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (Prime Minister's Rural Roads Scheme) was launched in December 2000 by the Indian government to provide connectivity to isolated rural habitations. The scheme envisions that these roads will be constructed and maintained by the village panchayats. In some parts of India, the government has attempted to manage the programme directly as a local social spending program.{{cite web|title=India's boom bypasses the poor|work=The Wall Street Journal|date=29 April 2011|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704081604576143671902043578|access-date=3 August 2017|archive-date=16 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170716054442/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704081604576143671902043578|url-status=live}}

In other parts of India, the {{transliteration|hi|Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana}} and a sister program named {{transliteration|hi|Bharat Nirman}} (Build India) have privatized the rural road construction projects and deployed contractors. The effort has aimed to build all-season single-lane asphalted roads to connect India's rural and remote areas. A significant portion of funding for these projects has come from the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank.{{cite web|title=New all weather roads boost rural incomes, India|publisher=The World Bank|year=2009|url=http://go.worldbank.org/JRKRCR0H50|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120711133246/http://go.worldbank.org/JRKRCR0H50|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 July 2012}}

{{See also|India-China Border Roads|Ministry_of_Development_of_North_Eastern_Region#Projects|l2=Northeast connectivity projects}}Border Roads are the roads constructed along the northern and northeastern borders of the country. These roads are constructed and maintained by Border Roads Organisation (BRO) which was set up in 1960 by the government of India. BRO is regarded as a symbol of nation building, national integration and an inseparable component in maintaining the security of the country.

India's intra-city vehicle speed is among the lowest in the world. As per a study by Ola Cabs, in 2017, the average traffic speed in Delhi was {{convert|25|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/surprise-surprise-bengaluru-traffic-speed-slowest-says-study-ola-73943|title=Surprise Surprise, Bengaluru traffic speed slowest says study by Ola|date=2017-12-30|work=The News Minute|access-date=2018-04-11|archive-date=13 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190213184952/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/surprise-surprise-bengaluru-traffic-speed-slowest-says-study-ola-73943|url-status=live}} Amongst other major cities, the average traffic speed in Chennai was {{convert|18.9|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}, in Mumbai was {{convert|20.7|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}, in Kolkata was {{convert|19.2|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}, in Hyderabad was {{convert|18.5|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}, and in Bengaluru was {{convert|17.2|km/h|mph|abbr=on}}.

The World Health Organization's compilation of road network safety data for major economies found India to have the highest number of road fatalities in the world, with 299,091 deaths caused by road accidents in 2016. Also, fatalities per 100,000 population stay among the highest, at 22.6.{{cite web|title=Global Status Report on Road Safety|year=2018|publisher=World Health Organization|url=https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241565684|access-date=9 August 2021|archive-date=19 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191019024257/https://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/road_safety_status/2018/en/|url-status=live}} Of total fatalities, 40% were of riders of 2 or 3 wheelers, 18% were of drivers and passengers of 4-wheeled cars and light vehicles, 18% were of drivers and passengers of buses and heavy trucks, 10% of pedestrians, 2% of cyclists and 13% of other.

{{Portal|India|Roads}}

• Indian Roads Congress
• Transport in India
• List of national highways in India
• 2010 renumbering of national highways in India
• Expressways of India

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{{commons category|Roads in India}}

• [https://www.top01to10.com/2020/01/status-of-road-in-our-countryindia.html Classification of roads in India] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201130013839/https://www.top01to10.com/2020/01/status-of-road-in-our-countryindia.html |date=30 November 2020 }}
• [https://www.teriin.org/sites/default/files/2019-05/rural-roads-sdgs.pdf Impact of roads on the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) in India]

{{Highways in India}}

{{Road types}}

{{Social issues in India}}

Category:Road transport in India