NHAI unveils 1,735-km long NHs as model roads

National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) is planning to develop 57 highway stretches across the country in and around the states' capital areas as model roads with a length of about 1735 km. The roads aimed at helping educating the highway engineers as well as the state PWD officers. The model stretches will have all the required safety and aesthetic features like road signs, road markings, road furniture, and safety items, proper junctions and entry and exit points, apart from having functional drains, pedestrian facilities, street lighting, plantation and landscaping, elegant toll plazas, user facilities, and wayside amenities. As per the Road Transport and Highways Ministry, the stretches, when developed will look like a perfect textbook version of model roads. NHAI has issued guidelines to help the regional offices and project directors to plan the development and complete in a time bound manner. Amongst the 57 stretches identified for development include the NH-37 bypass in Guwahati from Saraighat Bridge to Khanapara, Alok Kumar, Regional Officer, said, adding that the agency plans to develop 5 to 6-lane flyovers on the bypass and this new model road concept will be included in the process.