Roads are considered to be one of the most cost effective and preferred modes of transportation. It is easily available and accessible to all the sections of the society. It facilitates the movement of both men and materials from one place to another within a country. It helps to bring about national integration as well as provide for country's overall socioeconomic development. It is a key infrastructural unit which provides linkages to other modes of transportation like railways, shipping, airways, etc. Hence, an efficient and well-established road network is inevitable for promoting trade and commerce as well as meeting the needs of a sound transportation system in the country.

India has one of the largest road networks in the world, aggregating to 3.34 million kilometers and consists of Expressways, National Highways, State Highways, Major District Roads, Other District Roads and Village Roads. The National Highways (NHs), with a total length of 66,590 km, serve as the arterial network of the country. They connect the State capitals, ports and big cities. They comprise only about 2 per cent of the total length of roads, but carry about 40 per cent of the total traffic. Out of their total length, 32 per cent is single lane/intermediate lane; 56 per cent is 2-lane standard; and the balance of 12 per cent is 4-lane standard or more. While, the State Highways (1,28,000 km) are the main roads of the State. They connect the capital and major cities of the States. The major district roads has a total length of 4,70,000 km and facilitate the linkage between the main roads and rural roads. The other district and rural roads, account for about 26,50,000 km, provide villages accessibility to other roads in order to meet their social needs, such as transporting agriculture produce to nearby markets.

In India, the Department of Road Transport and Highways, under the Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, is the main authority concerned with the development of roadways. It has the overall responsibility for planning, construction and development of National highways in the country. While, all roads (other than NHs) fall within the jurisdiction of the respective State Governments and local bodies. The department is entrusted with the task of formulation of broad policies relating to regulation of road transport in the country, besides making arrangements for movement of vehicular traffic with the neighbouring countries. It has two wings to carry out its various functions, namely:-

• Roads wing - deals with the matters relating to development and management of National Highways, in accordance with the provisions of National Highways Act, 1956. Its other main functions are:-
  
  
1. Extending technical and financial support to State Governments for the development of State roads as well as the roads of inter-State connectivity and economic importance



2. Evolving standard specifications for roads and bridges in the country



3. Serving as a repository of technical knowledge on roads and bridges etc.
   
   
• Transport wing - deals with the matters relating to road transport system in the country. It is mainly responsible for administration of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and Road Transport Corporations Act, 1950; taxation of motor vehicles and their compulsory insurance; and promotion of transport co-operatives in the field of motor transport. Its other functions are:-
  
  
1. Evolving road safety standards in the form of a National Road Safety Policy as well as preparing and implementing the Annual Road Safety Plan



2. Collecting, compiling and analysing road accident statistics



3. Taking steps for developing a road safety culture in the country by involving the members of public and organising various awareness campaigns etc.

However, the Ministry is carrying out the operations of National Highways through three agencies, that is, State Public Works Department (PWD), Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The execution of works and day-to-day management of most National highways in States are looked after by the respective PWDs. While, BRO is primarily responsible for construction and maintenance of roads in the border areas, classified as General Staff (GS) roads. It has not only linked the border areas of the north and northeast with the rest of the country, but has also developed the road infrastructure in Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Uttaranchal and Chhattisgarh. There are about 49,214 km of National Highways whose development and maintenance are presently being carried out by the respective PWDs and the BRO.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), constituted under the National Highways Authority of India Act, is the major agency for implementing the important projects on National highways in the country. Traditionally, these road/ national highway projects were fully financed and controlled by the Government. But the increasing pressure of traffic and the resulting demand for road infrastructure had made it imperative to attract private investments into the sector. Hence, National Highways Act (NH Act) 1956 was amended in June 1995 and private persons were allowed to invest in the NH projects; levy, collect and retain fee from users; etc. The beginning of significant private participation in roadways was made with the launching of India's largest road project called as the 'National Highways Development Project (NHDP)'. The NHDP is a massive project taken up for the improvement and development of National Highways in the country and is being implemented in a phased manner by the NHAI.

The NHDP consists of the following components:-

• NHDP Phase I & II - envisage four/six laning of about 14,471 km of National Highways, at a total estimated cost of Rs.65,000 crore (at 2004 prices). These two phases majorly comprise of Golden Quadrilateral (GQ) and North-South and East-West Corridors. The Golden Quadrilateral (GQ-5,846 km) connects the four major cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. While, the North-South and East-West Corridors (NS-EW-7,300 km) connect:-
  
  
1. Srinagar in the North to Kanyakumari in the South, including spur from Salem to Kochi and



2. Silchar in the East to Porbandar in the West.
   
   
The NHDP also includes 'Port Connectivity Project' comprising a length of 380 km for improvement of roads connecting 12 major ports in the country and other projects involving a length of 945 km.


• NHDP Phase III - envisage four / six laning of 11,113 km of National Highways on Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis. It consists of stretching the National Highways carrying high volume of traffic; connecting State capitals with the NHDP Phases I and II network; as well as providing connectivity to places of economic, commercial and tourist importance. It involves four laning of 4035 km at an estimated cost of Rs.22,207 crore under NHDP Phase-IIIA and preparation of the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for the balance length (7,078 km) under Phase-IIIB.
  
  



• NHDP Phase IV- envisage two laning of 20,000 km at an indicative cost of Rs.25,000 crore. It aims to provide balanced and equitable distribution of the improved/widened highways network throughout the country.
  
  



• NHDP Phase V - envisage six laning of 6,500 km of national highways on Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis. It comprises of 5,700 km of GQ and balance 800 km of certain other high density stretches, at a cost of Rs.41,210 crore.
  
  



• NHDP Phase VI - envisage construction of 1,000 km of expressways with full access control on new alignments at a cost of Rs.16,680 crore. This would be beneficial for several growing urban centres of India, particularly those located within a few hundred kilometers of each other.
  
  



• NHDP Phase VII - envisage other Highway Projects at an indicative cost of Rs.15,000 crore. It includes construction and development of ring roads of major towns, bypasses,service roads, flyovers, etc. on National Highways, with a view to fully utilise the highway capacity as well as enhance safety and efficiency.

Also, the 'Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for North Eastern region (SARDP-NE)' has been announced as a part of NHDP Phase -VII programme. The Department of Road Transport and Highways has been paying special attention to the development of National highways in the North-Eastern (NE) region of the country. SARDP-NE aims to improve road connectivity to all the State capitals, district headquarters and remote places in the NE region. It envisages two / four laning of about 3228 km of National Highways; two laning / improvement of about 2500 km of State roads; and roads of strategic importance with a length of 1888 km. This will ensure connectivity of 85 district headquarters in the eight North-Eastern States to the National Highways /State roads. The programme is to be implemented in two phases:-

• Phase A - consists of 1110 km of National Highways and 200 km of State / General Staff (GS) roads at an estimated cost of Rs.4618 crore. Out of 1110 km of National Highways, 603 km is to be executed on BOT (annuity) basis by the NHAI. However, the Government has accorded approval for the implementation of Phase A and the construction work on 454 km length has been commenced. The likely target date of completion is March 2009.
  
  



• Phase B - involves improvement of 2118 km of National Highways and 4188 km of State / General Staff (GS) roads. The Government has accorded approval for the preparation of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for roads.

Besides, the Government is actively undertaking several other initiatives to improve and strengthen the network of national highways, State highways, roads in major districts and rural areas. It is also making all efforts to encourage greater private sector participation in the roads sector so as to develop well-planned road network in the country.

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