Setting an astounding target to double the country's road network by 2020, NITI Aayog has decided to strengthen highway network target worth 90,000 plus km from 45,406 km, currently. In its scheme of things, the Aayog has aimed to create world-class infrastructure to boost the economy and get laid down GDP growth targets. As a matter of fact, it has set the highway network target worth 86,372 km and that roads worth 32,500 km have been planned for four-laning by 2020, up from 24,706 km in FY16, and the current year target of 28,182 km. The road sector could require about Rs. 6.5 lakh-cr as investments between FY18-22, and the think tank has suggested for raising long-terms funding through NIIF, IDFC, and IIFCL, as well as to aggressively push for hybrid-annuity model and increasing built-own-transfer contracts to 27% of the total projects during FY17 from 15% during FY16.
