Access-controlled highways

A plan is under way to make a stretch of about 20,000km of major national highways, access-controlled. This will mean frequent cuts on the medians will be stopped and barricaded to avoid the animals’ entry on to the main highways. To ensure seamless and speedy movement of fast moving and heavy vehicles, the main carriageways will be specially designated for them.

National Highways Authority of India is in the midst of preparing a comprehensive project report for at least 12,000km stretch of this ambitious project. The project also includes, under Phase I of the Bharatmala scheme, the expansion of the identified stretches to at least four lanes. The identified corridors include Porbandar – Silchar, Ludhiana- Kandla, Mumbai Bangalore and Mumbai-Kolkata. These will enable connecting centres of major economic activities including ports, manufacturing hubs and trade centres.