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| {{about|Indian National Highways|Indian Expressways|National Expressway (India)}} | {{about|Indian National Highways|Indian Expressways|National Expressway (India)}} | ||
| ] connecting ] to ].]] | ] connecting ] to ].]] | ||
| In ], the '''National Highways''' are the primary long-distance roadways. Most are maintained by the ], others are operated under a public-private partnership by the private sector. Most are two-lane (one in each direction). They span about {{convert|67000|km|abbr=on|lk=on}}, of which about {{convert|200|km|abbr=on|lk=on}}<ref></ref> are designated ] and {{convert|10000|km|abbr=on}} have ] or more. National ]s constitute approximately 2% of the total road network of India, but carry nearly 40% of the total traffic.<ref name="ncert_textbook"> Contemporary India — II, NCERT Social Science textbook, 2005 Edition, <br> by National Highway Authority of India </ref> The ], currently being implemented, seeks to massively expand India's highway network. | In ], the '''National Highways''' are the primary long-distance roadways. Most are maintained by the ], others are operated under a public-private partnership by the private sector. Most are two-lane (one in each direction). They span about {{convert|67000|km|abbr=on|lk=on}}, of which about {{convert|200|km|abbr=on|lk=on}}<ref></ref> are designated ] and {{convert|10000|km|abbr=on}} have ] or more. National ]s constitute approximately 2% of the total road network of India, but carry nearly 40% of the total traffic.<ref name="ncert_textbook"> Contemporary India — II, NCERT Social Science textbook, 2005 Edition, <br /> by National Highway Authority of India </ref> The ], currently being implemented, seeks to massively expand India's highway network. | ||
| ==Historical national highways== | == Historical national highways == | ||
| ]n Indian routes, C shows the Mauryan network, | ]n Indian routes, C shows the Mauryan network, | ||
| D shows the trade routes at the beginning of the Christian era, and E shows the Indian "Z".]] | D shows the trade routes at the beginning of the Christian era, and E shows the Indian "Z".]] | ||
| In ancient times the ] constructed many brick roads in cities. The most famous highway of medieval India was the ]. The Grand Trunk Road begins in ]<ref name="ref7"></ref>near ], ] and ends in ], ]. It travels through or near many important cities of the subcontinent, including Dhaka in Bangladesh, ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ] in India, and ] and Peshawar in Pakistan. In the 19th century, the ] upgraded the existing highway network, and built roads in treacherous areas such as the ]. | In ancient times the ] constructed many brick roads in cities. The most famous highway of medieval India was the ]. The Grand Trunk Road begins in ]<ref name="ref7"></ref>near ], ] and ends in ], ]. It travels through or near many important cities of the subcontinent, including Dhaka in Bangladesh, ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ] in India, and ] and Peshawar in Pakistan. In the 19th century, the ] upgraded the existing highway network, and built roads in treacherous areas such as the ]. | ||
| ==Current system== | == Current system == | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| {{Main|List of National Highways in India}} | {{Main|List of National Highways in India}} | ||
| India has 67,000 |
India has 67,000 km of highways connecting all the major cities and ] capitals. Most are two-lane highways with paved roads. In developed areas they may broaden to four lanes, while near large cities, they may expand to eight lanes. In most developed states, the roads are free of ]s. In less-developed states and sparsely populated areas, inadequate maintenance and the harsh monsoon results in potholed roads. Very few of India's highways are built from concrete. As of 2010, {{convert|19064|km|abbr=on|lk=on}} of the National Highway system still consists of ] roads. The ] is currently working to ensure that by December 2014 the entire NH network consists of roads with two or more lanes.<ref name="hindu_2014_2lanenh">{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/2010/03/23/stories/2010032360821800.htm|publisher=The Hindu|title=Two-laning of entire NH network by 2014|author=K. Balchand}}</ref> | ||
| India has the distinction of having the world's second highest-altitude motor highway<ref></ref><ref>http://www.roughguides.com/website/travel/destination/content/default.aspx?titleid=3&xid=idh333055304_0550</ref>, ], connecting ] to ] in ], ]. | India has the distinction of having the world's second highest-altitude motor highway<ref></ref><ref>http://www.roughguides.com/website/travel/destination/content/default.aspx?titleid=3&xid=idh333055304_0550</ref>, ], connecting ] to ] in ], ]. | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| Highways form the ] of the country{{ |
Highways form the ] of the country{{Citation needed|date=January 2009}}. Highways have often facilitated development along their routes, and many new towns have sprung up along major highways. Highways also have large numbers of small restaurants and inns (known as '']s'') along their length. They serve popular ] and serve as truck stops. | ||
| ==Recent developments== | == Recent developments == | ||
| Under former ] ], India launched a massive program of highway upgrades, called the ] (NHDP), in which the main north-south and east-west connecting corridors and highways connecting the four metropolitan cities have been fully paved and widened into 4-lane highways. Some of the busier National Highway sectors in India have been converted to four or six lane expressways – for example, ]-], Delhi-], ]-], ]-], Mumbai-], ]-], Bangalore-], Chennai-],Delhi-Meerut ]-] and ]-Vijayawada. |
Under former ] ], India launched a massive program of highway upgrades, called the ] (NHDP), in which the main north-south and east-west connecting corridors and highways connecting the four metropolitan cities have been fully paved and widened into 4-lane highways. Some of the busier National Highway sectors in India have been converted to four or six lane expressways – for example, ]-], Delhi-], ]-], ]-], Mumbai-], ]-], Bangalore-], Chennai-],Delhi-Meerut ]-] and ]-Vijayawada. Phase V of the National Highway Development Project is to convert all 6000 km of the Golden Quadrilateral Highways to 6-lane highways/expressways by 2012. | ||
| The National Highways Bill, passed in 1995, provides for private investment in the building and maintenance of the highways. Recently, a number of new roads have been classified as "NHs" in a move to provide national connectivity to remote places. ] have also recently been constructed around larger towns and cities to provide uninterrupted passage for highway traffic. The varied climactic, demographic, ], and sometimes political situation, prevents these highways from having a uniform character. They range from fully-paved, six-lane roads in some areas, to unpaved stretches in remote places. Many NH's are still being upgraded or are under construction. There are long NH's to connect the metros together, as well as short spurs off the highway to provide connectivity to nearby ports or harbors. The longest National Highway is the NH7,<ref name="ref3"></ref> which runs between ] in ] to ] in ], at the southernmost point of the Indian mainland, covering a distance of 2369 km, and passes through Hyderabad and ]. The shortest NH is the NH47A,<ref name="ref4">,<br> </ref> which spans 6 km, to the ] - ] Port. | The National Highways Bill, passed in 1995, provides for private investment in the building and maintenance of the highways. Recently, a number of new roads have been classified as "NHs" in a move to provide national connectivity to remote places. ] have also recently been constructed around larger towns and cities to provide uninterrupted passage for highway traffic. The varied climactic, demographic, ], and sometimes political situation, prevents these highways from having a uniform character. They range from fully-paved, six-lane roads in some areas, to unpaved stretches in remote places. Many NH's are still being upgraded or are under construction. There are long NH's to connect the metros together, as well as short spurs off the highway to provide connectivity to nearby ports or harbors. The longest National Highway is the NH7,<ref name="ref3"></ref> which runs between ] in ] to ] in ], at the southernmost point of the Indian mainland, covering a distance of 2369 km, and passes through Hyderabad and ]. The shortest NH is the NH47A,<ref name="ref4">,<br /> </ref> which spans 6 km, to the ] - ] Port. | ||
| ==Indian road network== | == Indian road network == | ||
| {| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
| |+''']<ref name="ref6"> by National Highway Authority of India</ref> ''' | |+''']<ref name="ref6"> by National Highway Authority of India</ref> ''' | ||
| Line 44: | Line 44: | ||
| |} | |} | ||
| ==Gallery== | == Gallery == | ||
| <gallery> | <gallery> | ||
| File:NH4 India.jpg|NH 4 in Tamil Nadu | |||
| File:Nh3 highway mumbai agra.jpg|NH 3 | |||
| File:Nh 7 S.India.jpg|NH 7 | |||
| File:HIghway Chennai Bangalore.jpg | File:HIghway Chennai Bangalore.jpg | ||
| File:Mangalore Mysore State Highway.jpg | |||
| File:Bangalore airport highway2.png | |||
| File:Delhi airport access road.png | |||
| File:NH 1D Leh-Srinagar Highway.png | |||
| File:Nh4 india.png | |||
| File:Nh46 india.png | |||
| File:Nh9 India.png | |||
| File:Nh8 india amhmedabad- mumbai.png | |||
| File:Nh 1 India.png | |||
| </gallery> | </gallery> | ||
| ==See also== | == See also == | ||
| *] | * ] | ||
| *] | * ] | ||
| *] | * ] | ||
| *] | * ] | ||
| *] | * ] | ||
| *] | * ] | ||
| ==References and notes== | == References and notes == | ||
| {{reflist|2}} | {{reflist|2}} | ||
| ==External links== | == External links == | ||
| * | * | ||
| * | * | ||
| * | * | ||
| * | * | ||
| {{Indian Highways Network}} | {{Indian Highways Network}} | ||
Revision as of 03:32, 12 July 2010
This article is about Indian National Highways. For Indian Expressways, see National Expressway (India).
In India, the National Highways are the primary long-distance roadways. Most are maintained by the Government of India, others are operated under a public-private partnership by the private sector. Most are two-lane (one in each direction). They span about 67,000 km (42,000 mi), of which about 200 km (120 mi) are designated expressways and 10,000 km (6,200 mi) have four lanes or more. National highways constitute approximately 2% of the total road network of India, but carry nearly 40% of the total traffic. The National Highways Development Project, currently being implemented, seeks to massively expand India's highway network.
Historical national highways
In ancient times the ruling monarchs constructed many brick roads in cities. The most famous highway of medieval India was the Grand Trunk Road. The Grand Trunk Road begins in Sonargaonnear Dhaka, Bangladesh and ends in Peshawar, Pakistan. It travels through or near many important cities of the subcontinent, including Dhaka in Bangladesh, Kolkata, Patna, Varanasi, Kanpur, Agra, Delhi, Panipat, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, and Amritsar in India, and Lahore and Peshawar in Pakistan. In the 19th century, the British upgraded the existing highway network, and built roads in treacherous areas such as the Western Ghats.
Current system
India has 67,000 km of highways connecting all the major cities and state capitals. Most are two-lane highways with paved roads. In developed areas they may broaden to four lanes, while near large cities, they may expand to eight lanes. In most developed states, the roads are free of potholes. In less-developed states and sparsely populated areas, inadequate maintenance and the harsh monsoon results in potholed roads. Very few of India's highways are built from concrete. As of 2010, 19,064 km (11,846 mi) of the National Highway system still consists of single-laned roads. The government is currently working to ensure that by December 2014 the entire NH network consists of roads with two or more lanes.
India has the distinction of having the world's second highest-altitude motor highway, Leh-Manali Highway, connecting Shimla to Leh in Ladakh, Kashmir.
Highways form the economic backbone of the country. Highways have often facilitated development along their routes, and many new towns have sprung up along major highways. Highways also have large numbers of small restaurants and inns (known as dhabas) along their length. They serve popular local cuisine and serve as truck stops.
Recent developments
Under former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, India launched a massive program of highway upgrades, called the National Highway Development Project (NHDP), in which the main north-south and east-west connecting corridors and highways connecting the four metropolitan cities have been fully paved and widened into 4-lane highways. Some of the busier National Highway sectors in India have been converted to four or six lane expressways – for example, Delhi-Agra, Delhi-Jaipur, Ahmedabad-Vadodara, Mumbai-Pune, Mumbai-Surat, Bangalore-Mysore, Bangalore-Chennai, Chennai-Tada,Delhi-Meerut Hyderabad-Vijayawada and Guntur-Vijayawada. Phase V of the National Highway Development Project is to convert all 6000 km of the Golden Quadrilateral Highways to 6-lane highways/expressways by 2012.
The National Highways Bill, passed in 1995, provides for private investment in the building and maintenance of the highways. Recently, a number of new roads have been classified as "NHs" in a move to provide national connectivity to remote places. Bypasses have also recently been constructed around larger towns and cities to provide uninterrupted passage for highway traffic. The varied climactic, demographic, traffic, and sometimes political situation, prevents these highways from having a uniform character. They range from fully-paved, six-lane roads in some areas, to unpaved stretches in remote places. Many NH's are still being upgraded or are under construction. There are long NH's to connect the metros together, as well as short spurs off the highway to provide connectivity to nearby ports or harbors. The longest National Highway is the NH7, which runs between Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh to Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, at the southernmost point of the Indian mainland, covering a distance of 2369 km, and passes through Hyderabad and Bangalore. The shortest NH is the NH47A, which spans 6 km, to the Ernakulam - Kochi Port.
Indian road network
| Class | Length (km) |
|---|---|
| Access Controlled Expressways | 200 |
| 4-6 lane Divided Highways (with service rd in crowded areas) | 10000 |
| National Highways | 66,590 |
| State Highways | 1,31,899 |
| Major district roads | 4,67,763 |
| Rural & other roads | 26,50,000 |
| Total (approx) | 33,00,000 |
Gallery
See also
- National Highways Development Project
- List of National Highways in India
- List of National Highways in India (by Highway Number)
- Border Roads Organisation
- National Highways Authority of India
- National Highway No. 1 (India)
References and notes
- CIA World Factbook, India
- Contemporary India — II, NCERT Social Science textbook, 2005 Edition,
Road Network Assessment by National Highway Authority of India - Article on Archnet
- K. Balchand. "Two-laning of entire NH network by 2014". The Hindu.
- Adventure Tourism in India
- http://www.roughguides.com/website/travel/destination/content/default.aspx?titleid=3&xid=idh333055304_0550
- Maps of India
- List Kerala,
India9.com - Road Network report by National Highway Authority of India
External links
- National Highway Authority of India
- Highway Photographs
- Article about Indian Highways
- A photo gallery.
