Only around 8% of India's 1.46 lakh km national highway network now consists of stretches narrower than two lanes, down from nearly a quarter of the network in 2018-19. The length of these roads has fallen by 64% over the past nine years to around 13,000 km, according to a TOI report. The shift comes as the government steps up investment in wider highways, high-speed corridors and expressways to improve road connectivity and make the movement of passengers and goods more efficient. The length of high-speed corridors (HSCs) has increased more than 12 times, while the network of national highways with four or more lanes has grown 1.5 times, the report said.
Officials said highway development is increasingly centred on high-speed corridors, greenfield access-controlled roads and expressways. These routes have at least four lanes and are designed to offer smoother journeys with fewer interruptions.
