Bharatmala Pariyojana:
Nearly 50% of the Bharatmala Pariyojana Phase-I, a flagship road network expansion program, has been completed as of 31st March 2024 and is expected to be completed by 2027-28.
- The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways’ Vision 2047 aims to provide high-speed corridors within 100-150 km of all citizens and enhance passenger convenience by developing world-class amenities.
- This vision serves as the basis for the Master Plan for highways and related infrastructure in India.
- Bharatmala Pariyojana is an umbrella programme launched under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
- The first-phase of Bharatmala was announced in 2017 and was to be completed by 2022, but it could not be completed due to slow implementation and financial constraints.
- Bharatmala, Sagarmala, dry/land ports, and other infrastructure projects have been incorporated under PM Gati-Shakti Plan to enhance connectivity and logistics efficiency.
- While Bharatmala project aims to improve road connectivity, enhancing freight and passenger movement, Sagarmala project focuses on modernising ports and promoting coastal shipping to boost trade and maritime activities.
- Bharatmala focuses on enhanced effectiveness of already built infrastructure, multi-modal integration, bridging infrastructure gaps for seamless movement and integrating National and Economic Corridors.
- It aims to develop about 26,000 km of economic corridors, along with the Golden Quadrilateral (GQ) and North-South and East-West (NS-EW) Corridors, to carry the majority of the freight traffic on roads.
- Inter-State Corridor and Feeder Routes: This would ensure first mile and last mile connectivity.
- About 8,000 km of interstate corridors and about 7,500 km of feeder routes have been identified for improving the effectiveness of these corridors.
- The Bharatmala project is being funded from various sources including Central Road and Infrastructure Fund cess, remittances, additional budgetary support, monetisation of national highways, Internal and Extra Budgetary Resources, and private sector investment.
