Question : ASIAN HIGHWAYS

(a) the details of the completed and pending Asian Highways (AHs) in the country;

(b) the reasons for pending projects of AHs;

(c) the details of the funds disbursed for construction and maintenance of highways, highway-wise;

(d) the details of the State Roads that have been given National Highway status in order to upgrade them into Asian Highways across the country during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise; and

(e) the other steps taken by the Government to improve road connectivity with other Asian countries?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS (SHRI PON. RADHAKRISHNAN)

(a) to (e) This Ministry is primarily responsible for development and maintenance of National Highways (NHs). The development and maintenance of Asian Highways (AHs), which are NHs, are taken up by this Ministry and it is a continuous process. The development works on AHs are taken up within the framework of National priorities without according separate specific priority. Funds are disbursed on construction and maintenance of NH are State/UT-wise and not NH or AH-wise. The state roads are upgraded to NHs depending upon requirement of connectivity, inter-se-priority and availability of funds. No state road has been declared as NH in order to upgrade them into AH. Further, there is no such requirement also.

The Ministry has taken up coordinated initiatives to develop specific road / NH linkages leading to international borders with the country, including some of the routes falling on AHs, through funding from External Funding Agencies, etc. Besides, NHs in the country, including those having international conne- ctivity, is kept in traffic worthy condition from time to time within the available resources.