The approval and bidding process for national highways under the Bharatmala programme faced a significant setback in 2023-24, with a 34 per cent shortfall in awards attributed to the pending cabinet approval for the scheme’s revised cost. The Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways (MoRTH) reported that only 8,581 km of highway construction awards were made against a target of 13,290 km.
This delay was primarily attributed to Bharatmala, where the lack of cabinet approval stalled progress. Despite this, highway construction in 2023-24 reached 12,349 km, averaging 34 km per day. The highest construction of 13,327 km was achieved in 2020-21, including the strengthening of 4,900 km. The delay in cabinet approval has raised concerns, prompting the Union Finance Ministry to advise MoRTH against awarding new projects under Bharatmala until the revised cost is approved.