New Delhi: Out of 1,191 active construction sites across the country, 629 national highway projects have officially missed their original completion deadlines.
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari disclosed these official figures in a written reply to Parliament. Currently, contractors are executing 1,191 National Highway (NH) developments nationwide. However, more than half of these active worksites have spilled beyond their targeted operational schedules.
[Total Active NH Construction Projects: 1,191 Sites]
├──▶ On-Schedule Infrastructure Projects: 562 Sites
└──▶ Delayed Beyond Schedule Targets: 629 Sites (52.8%)
Cracking Down on Poor Quality Workmanship
In a separate parliamentary response, the minister highlighted strict enforcement measures against defaulting construction firms. Between 2023–24 and 2025–26, the ministry penalized or blacklisted 103 contractors and concessionaires for executing poor-quality roadwork.
Ministry Enforcement and Quality Control Measures:
Total Penalized Entities: 103 contractors and concessionaires blacklisted or fined.
Enforcement Window: Across three consecutive financial years (2023–24 to 2025–26).
Primary Reason for Action: Delivering substandard construction quality on national highways.
These punitive actions reflect a zero-tolerance policy regarding structural flaws and delayed project deliveries across the primary road grid.
Deploying Advanced Traffic Management Systems
To improve road safety and traffic monitoring, the government has adopted a phased roadmap for Advanced Traffic Management Systems (ATMS).
[Unified ATMS Software] ──▶ Local, Regional & National Command Centres ──▶ Real-Time Analytics
│
52,647 km of 4-Lane Highways & Expressways ◀─────────────────────────────────────┘
This technological rollout covers all four-lane and above National Highways and Expressways, spanning approximately 52,647 kilometres. Furthermore, the ministry will establish Local, Regional, and National Command and Control Centres to enable centralized incident monitoring, traffic analytics, and emergency responses.
To ensure seamless integration across different states, authorities are deploying a Unified ATMS Software Platform. This standardized software framework enforces uniform protocols for data sharing, traffic enforcement, and performance management across the entire national network.
National Highway Infrastructure Status
| Operational Parameter / Metric | Current Parliamentary Figure | Core Institutional Objective | Strategic Roadway Impact |
| Total Active NH Projects | 1,191 Construction Sites | Expanding national road capacity. | Connects industrial corridors nationwide. |
| Delayed Highway Projects | 629 Delayed Sites | Fast-tracking stalled clearances. | Resolves supply chain bottlenecks. |
| Penalized Contractors | 103 Firms Blacklisted | Enforcing strict construction standards. | Eliminates poor-quality road execution. |
| ATMS Coverage Target | 52,647 Kilometres | Deploying smart highway technology. | Improves real-time traffic management. |
| Command Infrastructure | Unified Control Platform | Centralizing incident management. | Speeds up highway emergency responses. |
About the Author
