Question : DECLARATION OF NATIONAL HIGHWAY

(a) the details of criteria/norms fixed by the Government to declare/upgrade various State roads or State highways as National Highways (NHs) along with the details of State roads or State highways declared as NHs during the last three years and the current year, State-wise;

(b) the details of funds allocated/ released/utilised for the purpose during the said period State/UT-wise;

(c) whether the Government has received proposals from various States to declare State highways into National highways in the country including Delhi-Yamnotari road, Meerut- Karnal road, Talajapur-Thoti road and the road on the coastline in Gujarat;

(d) if so, the details thereof along with the present status of each of their proposals; and

(e) whether the Government has fixed any target for per day construction/upgradation of roads and if so, the details thereof including the action plan of the Government to achieve the target?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS (SHRI KRISHANPAL GURJAR)

(a) Details of criteria/norms fixed by the Government to declare/upgrade various State roads or State highways as National Highways (NHs) is at Annexure-I. Details of State roads or State highways declared as NHs during the last three years and the current year is at Annexure-II.

(b) No fund is allocated for declaration of State roads as new National Highways.

(c) and (d) Yes Madam. Proposal for declaration of more than 60000 kms of State roads including Delhi-Yamnotri road and road on the coastline in Gujarat as National Highways have been received from various State Governments in the past. Keeping in view the requirement of connectivity, inter-se-priority and availability of funds, Ministry has declared about 21615 Kms of roads/ routes as new NHs in the country during the last three years and the current year.

(e) No Madam. However, the Ministry has targeted to construct/develop about 6300 km during 2014-15 under various programmes, namely, National Highways Development Project (NHDP), National Highways Interconnectivity Improvement Programme (NHIIP), Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for North East (SARDP-NE), Left Wing Extremism (LWE) including National Highways entrusted to State Public Works Departments (PWDs) and Border Roads Organisation (BRO).