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A total of 85 under-construction national highway projects in India have been delayed by more than three years, primarily due to land acquisition challenges, statutory clearances, and implementation constraints, the government informed Parliament. The delays also stem from contractor performance issues, financial constraints, and external factors such as the Covid-19 pandemic. In response, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has initiated measures to streamline project execution, including digital land acquisition systems, faster environmental clearances, and online approvals for infrastructure designs. These developments highlight ongoing execution challenges in large-scale infrastructure projects, which have implications for logistics networks, industrial growth, and real estate development linked to highway connectivity corridors.
A total of 85 under-construction national highway projects across India have been delayed by more than three years due to a combination of land acquisition hurdles, regulatory approvals, and execution challenges, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways informed the Rajya Sabha in a written response during the past week. Advertisement
According to the ministry, the delays are attributed to multiple factors, including bottlenecks in land acquisition, delays in obtaining statutory and environmental clearances, utility shifting requirements, encroachment removal, and law and order-related issues affecting project execution timelines.
In addition to these administrative and procedural constraints, project implementation has also been affected by financial challenges faced by contractors and concessionaires, as well as performance-related issues. External disruptions, including the Covid-19 pandemic and changes in regulatory frameworks, have further contributed to delays in several projects.
The government indicated that these delays have implications for infrastructure delivery timelines, particularly in the highways sector, which plays a key role in supporting logistics efficiency, industrial connectivity, and regional economic development. Delayed project completion can also affect real estate activity along highway corridors, where connectivity improvements typically drive land development and investment.
To address these challenges and prevent recurrence of delays and cost overruns, the ministry has undertaken several initiatives aimed at improving project execution processes. These include the use of the BhoomiRashi portal integrated with the Public Finance Management System (PFMS) to streamline land acquisition and compensation processes, along with the implementation of GIS-based land acquisition planning tools.
The ministry has also revamped the Parivesh portal to facilitate faster processing of forest and environmental clearances, which are often critical for infrastructure projects. In addition, online approval systems have been introduced for General Arrangement Drawings related to Road Over Bridges and Road Under Bridges, enabling quicker design approvals.
A structured mechanism has also been put in place for regular review and resolution of bottlenecks in ongoing projects, aimed at identifying and addressing implementation issues at various stages of execution.
The government stated that these measures are intended to improve coordination between stakeholders, reduce procedural delays, and enhance transparency in project management. The focus remains on ensuring timely completion of infrastructure projects while minimising cost escalations.
The update reflects ongoing challenges in large-scale infrastructure development, where multiple regulatory, financial, and operational factors influence project timelines. As highway expansion continues to be a priority for improving connectivity and supporting economic activity, addressing execution delays 7remains critical for maintaining momentum in infrastructure-led growth.
Source - PTI
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