GatiShakti evaluates 7 road projects to boost freight movement
These initiatives aim to reduce congestion and speed up freight, spanning projects from southern high-speed corridors to key northern border roads.
Representational photo
The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) has proposed a series of major highway projects spanning seven states and union territories. The initiatives are designed to alleviate congestion in urban centers and expedite freight transit under the PM GatiShakti framework, encompassing projects from high-speed economic corridors in the southern region to crucial border roads in the north.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is undertaking a geographically diverse and strategic set of projects to strengthen India's industrial and logistical backbone.
In South India, two major corridors are planned: the 102 km Salem–Kumarapalayam six-lane corridor in Tamil Nadu to enhance the vital Kochi–Coimbatore–Bengaluru freight route for the textile and manufacturing sectors.
And the 190 km Amaravati Outer Ring Road (ORR) in Andhra Pradesh, which will integrate with National Waterway-4 to provide direct port access and potentially cut travel times by up to 40%.
Concurrently, frontiers are being addressed with projects in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh; the 62 km Rafiabad–Tangdhar expansion will improve defense logistics and social access near the LoC, while the 48 km Leh Bypass-1 will connect NH-01 and NH-03, boosting regional tourism and streamlining logistics for the Phyang industrial estate.
Finally, MoRTH is tackling congestion in central and eastern India through projects like the 77 km Chitrakoot–Satna Four-Laning to support cement industries and pilgrim traffic, the 156 km Rourkela–Sithiyo Greenfield Highway designed to link Odisha and Jharkhand with the Asian Highway network for SEZs, and the 10 km Patna Ring Road segment to decongest the city and link to the upcoming Bihta Airport.