The construction of National Highways and roads gathered pace with 13,327 kms of roads constructed in 2020-21, compared to 10,237 kms in 2019-20, an increase of 30.2 per cent over the previous year, said the Economic Survey.
In FY22 (till September), 3,824 kms of road network was constructed. The extent of road construction per day increased substantially in 2020-21 to 36.5 kms per day from 28 kms per day in 2019-20, a rise of 30.4 percent over the previous year.
The significant upturn in road construction in 2020-21 is due to the increase in public expenditure by 29.5 per cent from a year earlier, a reflection of the impetus given by the government to a critical sector that generates employment and supports infrastructure during a pandemic year.
In addition to the action taken to increase the network of National Highways, the government has taken measures to address village-level road network through the Gram Sadak Yojana, the survey added.