The highway construction has slowed down significantly due to elections and delay in land acquisition approvals. As per Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), only 483 km of national highways were constructed in April 2024, with 600 km built by May 20, 2024.
This marks the slowest pace of road construction since Covid-19. The slowdown is attributed to the model code of conduct, which restricts new project announcements during the election period.
Construction companies are also facing labor shortages as workers are returning to their villages to vote and are staying longer than expected.