With Phase I targeting the development of 34,800 km of national highways across several categories, including Economic Corridors, Inter-corridor and Feeder Routes, National Corridors Efficiency Improvement, and Border Roads, Bharatmala is set to reshape India's road connectivity.
The programme plays a vital role in improving the efficiency of freight and passenger movement by building high-quality roads, expressways, and bridges, thereby reducing travel time between key economic hubs. Notably, it is expected to reduce travel time by 40-50% in selected economic corridors, a figure that speaks to the transformative potential of these infrastructural upgrades.
The program focuses on six core areas:
Economic Corridors Development - These corridors aim to connect key industrial hubs, improving the transportation of goods.
Inter-corridor and Feeder Routes Development - Enhancing the connectivity between national highways and state highways.
National Corridors Efficiency Improvement - Aimed at decongesting key national routes, reducing travel time, and cutting down logistics costs.
Border and International Connectivity Roads - Strengthening road links in border areas to support both civilian and military logistics.
Coastal and Port Connectivity Roads - Facilitating smoother access to India’s major ports to support the growing maritime trade.
Expressways - Establishing fast-moving highways to reduce the overall travel time between economic zones.
Key Projects Under Bharatmala Pariyojana
Bharatmala has already facilitated the construction of numerous high-speed, access-controlled corridors that are redefining the way India approaches road infrastructure. Some of the prominent projects include:
Delhi-Mumbai Expressway (1,386 km) – Partially completed, this is one of the largest expressway projects under Bharatmala, cutting across Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.
Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway (262 km) – Currently under implementation, this corridor is poised to enhance trade and connectivity between Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu.
Raipur-Visakhapatnam Corridor (465 km) – Under construction, this corridor will link Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh, vital for regional development.
Amritsar-Bhatinda-Jamnagar Access Controlled Corridor (917 km) – Partially completed, this strategic project connects Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat, improving connectivity in northwestern India.