816 km of National Highways Reported Damaged in FY 2023-24
Out of India’s 1,46,195 km National Highway (NH) network, approximately 816 km have reported damages in the current financial year. Maintenance and repair (M&R) of NHs is an ongoing process, monitored regularly by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and its agencies to ensure traffic-worthy conditions.
MoRTH allocated ₹6,581 crore for M&R in 2023-24, with ₹6,523 crore spent. Over the last five years, funding has steadily increased, reflecting the government's focus on maintaining the NH network. Maintenance responsibilities vary, with Concessionaires or Contractors handling stretches under development, O&M, TOT, or InvIT agreements until the end of their concession periods. Other stretches are maintained through Performance-Based or Short-Term Maintenance Contracts.
The government is also adopting innovative methods to improve NH durability, including subgrade stabilization, geosynthetics, concrete whitetopping, high-performance bituminous mixes, and intelligent compaction, tailored to terrain and environmental conditions.