Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari has said the total investment in the flagship Bharatmala scheme may go up to ₹20 lakh crore from the current estimate of ₹15 lakh crore. Gadkari says the national highway network will be expanded to 2 lakh km by 2024.
Addressing the roads and highway summit of FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry), Gadkari says, "The total road network in the country is 64 lakh km. Out of this, the national highway network is 1.47-lakh km, but it carries 70% cargo and 90% passenger traffic. There is a need to expand the network. Before the end of 2024, we will increase the national highway network to 2 lakh km."
Gadkari says investment in schemes like Bharatmala is likely to go up. "Under both the phases of Bharatmala, ₹15 lakh crore is to be invested to develop 43,000 km. My estimate is that the investment will go up to ₹20 lakh crore. It is a huge opportunity for investment," Gadkari says.