Thread by @FinFloww

In 2015, Nitin Gadkari saw that National Highways contributed to over 40% of economic activity

But comprised only 2% of our total road network

So, he increased NH from 95000 Kms to 147000 Kms in just 8 yrs!

Here's how BharatMala is transforming India:

Bharatmala Pariyojana — an extension to The Golden Quadrilateral is an umbrella program for the highways sector which will focus on optimizing the efficiency of road traffic movement across the country by bridging critical infrastructure gaps.

When India already has the second-largest road network in the world, why is the government showing an urgency to expand in this sector?

See, India is spread across a vast area—approximately 3.29 million square kilometers.

And for such a huge country to function smoothly, it is crucial that different regions are connected efficiently.

Its road network transports 64.5% of all goods in the country. 90% of India's total passenger traffic uses road network to commute.

Since 2014, road development has taken a speed. From building 12.1 km per day of roads in 2014-15, the nation is seeing 28.6 km of roads being constructed every day now.

A well-functioning transportation network significantly contributes to the development of a nation.

We all know that India is a competitive country.

Its “Hard” work paid off.

It is now the most populated country in the world!

But with that we also face major problems of congestion. (Arey koi inko samjhao, har jagah first nahi aana hota hai!🥲)

A populated nation is indirectly linked to higher supply and demand.

So, construction of new and developed roads is a must.

Now Let’s see how Bharatmala is going to have an overall Impact for the country:

1. Connectivity, Logistics & Inclusive growth:

India is diverse, not just ethnically but also in terms of what it brings to the table.

However, the path to this table is filled with obstacles.

Even after an extensive road infrastructure, many rural areas are still isolated — and so are the unique richness’s of those areas.

These areas could be potential agricultural zones, or ports or manufacturing hubs.

Bharatmala focuses on linking these areas to economic corridors to facilitate smooth and easy movement of goods, services, and people.

And how will they do that? Using Hub and Spoke Model.

The Logistic Parks will be interconnected with economic corridors.

Hub-to-hub access will be done via 30-ton capacity truck and hub-to-spoke access with a 10-ton truck.

Bharatmala aims to achieve a seamless connection of all economic corridors with the logistics hubs.

It aims to promote balanced development across the country.

By connecting remote and underdeveloped regions with major economic centers.

It intends to foster inclusive growth and bridge the infrastructure gap between different parts of India.

2. Travel Time and Cost:

Time is money and shipments can take days to reach their destination.

Now imagine if a truck breaks down or gets stuck somewhere, it can cost a lot of people their money.

It’s like creating a domino effect, with a failure at one end it hinders the forward progress of the entire operation.

The new expressways and corridors will help cut this travel time.

It will be a blessing in disguise not just for the drivers who travel long distances but also for the daily commuters.

You see, people aspire to work in metro cities.

But the cost of living and travel time can be pretty stomach wrenching.

But linking the sub-urban and rural areas with highways to the metro cities can eradicate these issues.

Currently it takes about a day to travel From Delhi to Mumbai.

But once the expressways are built, it will shorten the time to just 12 hrs.

How convenient is that?!

3. Employment & Business opportunities:

The construction of approximately 65,000 kilometers of national highways is taking place spread across India (Have a look at the image below).

This is a massive undertaking in and of itself!

To complete the project by the projected date, additional manpower is required.

The project is expected to generate nearly 22 million jobs and 100 million man days of jobs, as a result of the increased economic activity across India.

The authorities have planned to improve inter-connectivity with neighboring countries too by integrating the Bangladesh-Bhutan-Nepal-Myanmar-Thailand (BIMSTEC) corridors.

This will boost trade and promote new businesses, which in turn will attract investments.

Undoubtedly a bonus point is:

4. Safety & Security:

Contractors often use cheap materials in construction, which can compromise the safety and quality of the final product.

Poorly developed roads have frequently resulted in accidents and even fatalities.

However, the entire Bharatmala project is under the jurisdiction of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), which prioritizes road safety and accident reduction.

The project aims to enhance the safety and smoothness of travel for commuters, while mitigating the risks associated with insufficient road infrastructure.

We can think of transportation networks like the neural networks in our bodies —everything is inter-connected.

A failure at one point can cause hindrance for others.

Thus, it's essential to ensure a smooth flow, especially when it comes to roadways.

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