Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, announced on Thursday that 25,000 km of two-lane highways across India will be upgraded to four lanes at an estimated cost of Rs 10 trillion. "We are planning to convert 25,000 km of two-lane highways into four-lane highways at a cost of Rs 10 trillion. The detailed project reports (DPRs) are being prepared, and we aim to complete the work within two years," he stated during the Question Hour in Lok Sabha.

Additionally, the government will upgrade 16,000 km of national highways to six lanes, requiring an investment of Rs 6 trillion.

Gadkari emphasised the government's commitment to reducing road accidents and enhancing road infrastructure, noting that India loses 3% of its GDP annually due to road accidents.

The Centre is prioritising highway development in Jammu & Kashmir, the Northeast, and hilly regions such as Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. In J&K alone, road projects worth ?2 lakh crore are in progress, including 105 tunnels aimed at improving connectivity.

Among these, the Zojila tunnel—set to be the longest in Asia—will be completed for around ?5,500 crore, significantly lower than the initial Rs 120 billion estimate. Work is also progressing on the Jammu-Srinagar highway, where 36 tunnels are planned, 22 of which have been completed. Once finished, the travel time between Jammu and Srinagar will be cut from seven hours to just three to three and a half hours.