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In the first phase of the Rs 5.35 trillion Bharatmala Priyojona, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will offer 14,389 km of highway projects by 2023-24, said NHAI chair Alka Upadhyay on Thursday.

Upadhaya remarked during FE's National Road Infra Conclave 2022, "We've gone far." We expect to tender all first-phase works by 2023-24.”

As of March 31, 20,411 km of economic corridors, expressways, border and international connectivity roads, and coastal and port connectivity roads have been granted, with 8,134 km built.

Freight corridors, national roads, and expressways will lower logistics costs, which are now 12-13% of GDP. “These motorways will reduce logistical costs greatly,” she added.

Upadhya said Indian firms would be more competitive when the government develops national highways, state highways, and rural roads. "This would realise PM Gatishakti's aim of multi-modal connectivity in the country. All of these make Indian company more competitive and improve connectivity.

She detailed the NHAI's asset monetisation initiative, saying it had 1.4 lakh kilometres of national roads. The authority has listed "many" assets that can be monetised, which can go to market, in the National Monetisation Plan.

"We held our inaugural InvIT last year and raised Rs 8,000 crore via five projects covering 400 kilometres. We've raised around Rs 17,000 crore via TOT in recent years.”-She stated.

NHAI created a special purpose vehicle for the Delhi-Mumbai highway construction initiative. AAA rated SPV.

In the Parvatmala plan, proposed in the Budget for the current fiscal year, ropeways would link remote districts of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, J&K, and the North-East. Work on Kedarnath and Hemkund ropeways has begun.