NEW DELHI: In a big boost to

highway development

, the cabinet on Friday approved eight major national high-speed road corridor projects of 936 km entailing Rs 50,655 crore

investment

. Goverment said the projects, spread across nine states, will improve

logistics efficiency

, reduce congestion, enhance connectivity and generate around 4.4 crore mandays of direct and indirect employment.

Sources said government’s focus will next be on development of more

expressways

and access-controlled highways. In a post on X, PM Modi said the cabinet nod “will have a multiplier effect on our economic growth and boost

employment opportunities

. It also underlines our commitment to a futuristic and connected India.”
Road transport minister Nitin Gadkari said the projects will reduce distances and cut travel time of goods vehicles, which is crucial to bring down logistics cost.
I&B minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the 88-km six-lane Agra-Gwalior corridor project will be developed at a cost of Rs 4,613 crore and it will supplement existing four-lane NH to increase traffic capacity. It will reduce the distance between Agra and Gwalior by 7% and travel time by 50%.

Similarly, the four-lane Kharagpur-Moregram access-controlled highway will be of 231 km and will be developed at a cost of Rs 10,247 crore. It will provide efficient connectivity between West Bengal, Odisha and Andhra. It will reduce travel time from existing 9-10 hours to 3-5 hours for freight vehicles. The six-lane Tharad-Deesa-Mehsana-Ahmedabad project covering 214 km will see an investment of Rs 10,534 crore. This will reduce the distance by 20% and travel time by 60%. The four-lane Ayodhya Ring Road (68 km) will be developed at a cost of Rs 3,935 crore and will reduce congestion on NH passing through the city.
The four-lane access-controlled Pathalgaon-Gumla section of Raipur-Ranchi corridor (137 km) will be developed at a cost of Rs 4,473 crore.
Similarly, the six-lane Kanpur Ring Road project will entail an investment of Rs 3,298 crore. NHAI will also build a four-lane Guwahati Ring Road (121 km) with an investment of Rs 5,729 crore. The other project is development of eight-lane elevated Nashik Phata-Khed corridor near Pune. It will be built at a cost of Rs 7,827 crore.