Question : NHs Along Coastline

(a) whether the Government has added length of National Highways (NHs) along the coastline in the country during each of the last three years and the current year;

(b) if so, the details thereof, State-wise and if not, the reasons therefor along with the existing length of NHs along the coastline across the country, State-wise;

(c) the number of new NHs declared along the coastline in the country during the said period;

(d) whether the Government has received requests from State Governments for addition in length of NHs or declare new NHs along the coastline during the said period;

(e) if so, the details thereof, State-wise along with the action taken/being taken by the Union Government on such requests so far; and

(f) the other steps taken/being taken by the Government to improve NH network and proper upkeep of NHs along the coastline in the country?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE
MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

(SHRI PON. RADHAKRISHNAN)

(a) to (c) The State/Union Territory (UT) wise details of State roads declared as new National Highways (NHs) along coastline during last three years and the current year including the details of existing length of NHs along coastline is annexed.

(d) to (f) The Ministry keeps on receiving proposals for declaration of various State road stretches, including those along coastline, from various States/UTs as new NHs. The Ministry considers declaration of State Roads as new NHs from time to time which is a continuous process and their subsequent development and maintenance are taken up accordingly to keep the NHs in traffic worthy condition as per inter-se priority, traffic density and availability of funds.
The Ministry has taken up development of NHs/ roads under various phases of National Highways Development Project (NHDP), Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for the North East Region (SARDP-NE) including Arunachal Pradesh Package of Roads, Special Programme for Development of Roads in the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas, National Highways Interconnectivity Improvement Project (NHIIP), etc to improve NH network in the country.

Further, the Ministry has taken up detailed review of NHs network with a view to improve the road connectivity to coastal / border areas, backward areas, religious places, tourist places, construction / rehabilitation / widening of major bridges and Railway Over Bridges (ROBs) / Railway Under Bridges (RUBs) on NHs, improvement of newly declared NHs providing connectivity to District Head Quarters, road connectivity towards integration with Sagarmala, Connectivity Improvement Program for Char-Dham (Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunothri & Gangothri in Uttarakhand) etc., under proposed new programmes. However, these programmes are yet to be formally launched.