Question : New NHs

(a) the norms laid down and the procedure followed to declare any road as National Highway (NH) along with the number of roads declared / identified as NHs during the last three years, State-wise, including Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu;

(b) whether the Government has received proposals from State Governments for declaration of State roads as new NHs;

(c) if so, the details thereof; and

(d) the financial outlay for each road made during the last three years along with the progress made therein?

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

(SHRI MANSUKH L.MANDAVIYA)

(a) to (c) The criteria for declaration of State roads as new National Highways (NHs) include roads running through length / breadth of the country, connecting adjacent countries, National Capitals with State Capitals / mutually the State Capitals, major ports, non-major ports, large industrial centers or tourist centers, roads meeting very important strategic requirement in hilly and isolated area, arterial roads which enable sizeable reduction in travel distance and achieve substantial economic growth thereby, roads which help opening up large tracts of backward area and hilly regions (other than strategically important ones), achieving a National Highways grid of 100 km, etc. The demands from States / public representatives, are, also duly considered.
The Ministry keeps on receiving proposals for declaration of State roads as new NHs from various State Governments/Union Territories (UTs). The Ministry considers declaration of some State roads as new NHs from time to time depending upon requirement of connectivity, inter-se-priority and availability of funds.
The total length of NHs as on 31.03.2014 was about 91,287 km; this has been enhanced to about 1,22,432 km as on February, 2018. Further, the Ministry has approved In-Principle declaration of about 55, 233 km length of State roads as new NHs subject to outcome of the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs).
The State/UT-wise details of State roads notified as NHs during 2014-15 to 2017-18 (upto Feb, 2018) and State roads approved In-Principle for declaration as new NHs, including those for the States of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, is at Annexure-I.

(d) The funds for development of NHs are not allocated project-wise or NH length-wise. The State/UT-wise details of allocation of funds and expenditure for development of NHs during 2014-15 to 2017-18 (upto Feb, 2018) are at Annexure-II. The development and maintenance of NHs is a continuous process. Works on NHs are, accordingly, taken up to keep the NHs in traffic worthy conditions depending upon inter-se priority, traffic density and availability of funds.