Question : Conversion of State Highways into National Highways

(a) whether the Union Government has taken a decision to declare about 39,040 km of State roads as national highways and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether many State Governments have requested for more State roads to be declared as national highways in addition to the above and if so, the details thereof;

(c) the length of State Highways (SHs) converted into National Highway (NH) during each of the last five years and the current year, State/UT-wise;

(d) the criteria being followed in converting SH into NH;
(e) the details and the present status of proposals from the Government of Andhra Pradesh for converting SH into NH which are pending with the Union Government; and

(f) whether there is a proposal in this year’s Budget to financially help State Governments to develop SH and if so, the details and the present status thereof?

THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)

(a) to (e) The Ministry keeps on receiving proposals from various State Governments/Union Territories (UTs), etc., including the Government of Andhra Pradesh for declaration of State roads, including State Highways (SHs), as new National Highways (NHs). The Ministry considers declaration of some State roads as new NHs from time to time based on requirement of connectivity, inter-se priority and availability of funds.

The existing criteria for declaration of State roads including SHs as new 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.

About 2,677 km length of State roads including SHs, were declared as NHs in the State of Andhra Pradesh since April, 2014.

State/UT-wise and year-wise details of State Roads including SHs declared as NHs since April, 2014 is Annexed.

(f) The Ministry is primarily responsible for development and maintenance of NHs. The Ministry also allocates funds for development of State Roads including SHs under the Central Road Fund (CRF) Scheme and Economic Importance & Inter State Connectivity (EI& ISC) as per provisions of the CRF Act, 2000 amended by the Finance Act from time to time. The CRF has been replaced by the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund (CRIF) vide amendment to the CRF Act, 2000 by the Finance Act, 2018.

The Vote on Account (VOA) allocation of Rs. 2,582.29 crore and Rs. 200 crore has been earmarked under CRF and EI&ISC allocations respectively during 2019-20.

Total allocation of Rs. 7,421.58 crore and Rs. 500 crore has been proposed to be allocated under CRF and EI&ISC schemes during 2019-20 respectively under Budget Estimates 2019-20.