MoRTH to build 2,451-km roads this fiscal

The road ministry has set an ambitious target of constructing 15,000 km roads in the financial year 2017-18 and has managed to construct only 4,944 km of roads as of November 2017 and is likely to construct another 2,451.46 km in the remaining period of the financial year. The ministry has constructed highway at an average rate of 20.26 km/ day for the eight-month period (April-November) against the set target construction of highway at 41.09 km/day. This leaves the ministry with a mammoth task of constructing 83.10 km/ day to meet the current year target. The ministry is also likely to miss the target of awarding 25,000 km of road for the current fiscal as it has only managed to award 2,917 km of road as of November end. The only saving grace is the collection of toll revenue by National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) at Rs.5,891.20 crore (April-November period) against Rs.8,000 crore for the whole year. MoRTH has been assigned with the task of formulation and administration of rules relating to road transport, national highways and transport research with a vision to increase the mobility and efficiency of the road transport system in the country.