Over the past five financial years, India has added roughly 57,125 km of new National Highways, bringing the total length of the nation’s highway network to around 1.46 lakh kilometres, according to recently released data. 
This expansion reflects a long-term push: between 2013-14 and now, the total highway length has risen from 91,287 km to about 146,200 km, an increase of approximately 60%.
The drive has also changed the composition of the network. Multi-lane and high-capacity highways have grown significantly: the extent of four-lane and wider national highways has increased, while the share of narrow two-lane (or lesser) segments has dropped sharply.
In the most recent fiscal year (2024–25), the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) delivered on its target, constructing about 5,614 km of highways.
Officials say the expanded highway network aims to boost connectivity between cities, industrial hubs, ports and remote areas; improve logistics efficiency; and support economic growth by enhancing accessibility across regions.
As India continues adding new stretches and upgrading existing roads to higher-capacity corridors, the transformed highway landscape is expected to play a crucial part in streamlining transport, reducing travel times, and enabling faster movement of goods and people nationwide.
