- Why in news
- On 14 June 2026, MoRTH released a note on twelve years of highway work. It gives Bharatmala Pariyojana progress as of March 2026 along with National Highway growth and expressway updates.
- What it is
- Bharatmala Pariyojana is the Centre's umbrella highway programme, approved in October 2017. It aims to improve freight and passenger movement by building economic corridors, feeder routes, border, coastal and port roads and expressways. It is implemented by MoRTH.
- Approval and target
- Approved in October 2017 to develop 34,800 km of National Highway corridors.
- Outlay
- The estimated outlay is ₹5.35 lakh crore.
- Components
- Economic Corridors, Inter-Corridors and Feeder Routes, National Corridor Efficiency Improvement, Border Roads, Coastal Roads, Port Connectivity Roads and Expressways.
- Progress by March 2026
- Projects covering 26,425 km were awarded and 22,590 km constructed.
- National Highway network growth
- The network grew from about 91,287 km in 2014 to over 1,46,572 km in FY 2025-26, a rise of nearly 61 per cent.
- Construction pace
- Average National Highway construction rose from about 11.6 km per day in 2013-14 to nearly 34 km per day in 2025.
Don’t confuse with Bharatmala vs Sagarmala: Bharatmala is a MoRTH road programme. Sagarmala is a Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways programme for port-led development.
Don’t confuse with Bharatmala vs NHDP: The National Highways Development Project (NHDP) was the earlier highway programme, started in 1998-99. Bharatmala is the later umbrella programme.
Schemes: 52 Prelims questions since 2013, 10 in Prelims 2026 alone. They test features, the period and who funds it. In Mains, 33 news-triggered questions, mostly GS3.
Why it matters
- Better corridors and feeder links cut logistics costs and travel time.
- It links remote, border and coastal areas to growth centres, supporting regional balance.
Problems
- Only 22,590 km of the 34,800 km target was built by March 2026, so completion lags the target.
- Land acquisition, environmental clearances and funding strain can delay highway projects.
Way forward
- Speed up land acquisition and clearances, and keep project funding sustainable.
- Build in ecological safeguards such as wildlife corridors, as done on the Delhi–Dehradun corridor.
Put in your answer
Highway construction pace: Construction rose from about 11.6 km per day in 2013-14 to nearly 34 km per day in 2025.
Eco-sensitive design example: The Delhi–Dehradun corridor includes a 12 km elevated wildlife corridor through the Rajaji National Park area.
- 2018Mains GS1 · Q16Significance of industrial corridors in India and their main characteristics
- 2024Mains GS3 · Q19Border Area Development Programme and BIM Scheme development along China and Pakistan borders
- 2022Mains GS2 · Q6Coordination between government and private sector needed for Gati-Shakti connectivity goals
- 2023Prelims Q10Which statements on India's connectivity projects like East-West Corridor and Trilateral Highway are correct
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Flagship scheme with facts: approved October 2017, 34,800 km, outlay Rs 5.35 lakh crore. Release is a summary, not a new decision.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.