Bharatmala Project of India: Transforming Transport & Logistics like never before

The “Bharatmala Pariyojana” is a prominent infrastructure development project in India. Sponsored and funded road and highways project, launched by the Indian government, its primary focus is on improving road connectivity across the country.

The total estimated cost for 83,777 kms length under Bharatmala project was approximately ₹10.63 lakh crore (Around US$130 billion). However, it’s essential to note that the cost and funding of large-scale infrastructure projects like Bharatmala can change over time due to various factors, including changes in project scope and inflation.

For the most accurate and up-to-date information on the cost of the Bharatmala project, I recommend checking official government sources and budget allocations, as well as any reports or updates provided by the relevant authorities.

Key features and objectives of the Bharatmala project include:

1. Road Network Enhancement: The project aims to develop and expand the road network, including the construction of new highways and the expansion and improvement of existing ones. The project will build highways from Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana and then covers the entire string of Himalayan states Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and then portions of borders of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar alongside terai and move to west Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and right up to the indo-Myanmar border in Manipur and Mizoram.
2. Efficient Freight Movement: It seeks to facilitate the smooth movement of goods and freight across the country, reducing transportation time and costs. It will also raise 40% freight to 80% freight on national highway. Around 300 districts to 550 districts will be connected by minimum 4-lane highways which will enhance logistics efficiency and reduce logistic costs of freight movement.
3. National Corridors: The project identifies specific economic and industrial corridors for concentrated development, enhancing regional and national connectivity. It will raise 6 NC corridors to 50 corridors (6 NC and 44 EC). Logistics parks will be set up along the NC. The busiest stretches of national corridors will be converted into expressways. 8,000 km of inter-corridors and 7,500 km of feeder routes will be built. In addition, 3,300 km of border roads and 2,000 km of international highways will be constructed to connect 6 national corridors with international trade routes.
4. Border and Coastal Roads: Development of roads along India’s borders and coastlines to improve border security and promote economic growth in border areas. It will enhance Inter-connection between different economic corridors, development of first mile & last mile connectivity. It will also provide connectivity to border areas & trade points with neighboring countries (Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar).
5. Economic Growth: The project is intended to stimulate economic growth by creating jobs and improving transportation infrastructure, which can lead to increased economic activity. Connection of economically important production & consumption centers. Economic Corridors of India or Industrial Corridors of India, 44 corridors 26,200 km were identified, and 9,000 km will be taken up in phase I, they exclude 6 National Corridors, they include 66 inter-corridors (IC) of 8,000 km & 116 feeder routes (FR) of 7,500 km were identified for Bharatmala.

List of 44 economic corridor:

1. Logistics Efficiency: Enhancing logistics and supply chain management by reducing congestion and delays in the transportation of goods. 24 logistics parks entailing 45% of India’s freight traffic have been identified to be connected by Bharatmala economic corridors (EC), to develop hub-and-spoke model where hub-to-hub transport can be done with 30 tons trucks and hub-to-spoke transport can be done with 10 ton trucks. Currently all transport is point-to-point in 10 ton trucks (2017).

List of Logistics park:

1. Tourism and Connectivity: Improving Road connectivity to promote tourism and facilitate easier access to tourist destinations.
2. Northeast India connectivity: The Northeast Economic Corridor will connect 7 state capitals and 7 multimodal waterway terminals on the Brahmaputra on the Bharatmala route.

List of waterway terminals on the Brahmaputra River:

Bharatmala is a critical initiative to upgrade India’s road infrastructure and enhance its connectivity, ultimately contributing to economic development and regional integration.

The Bharatmala project in India is expected to bring several benefits, including:

1. Improved Road Connectivity: Enhanced road networks will lead to better connectivity between urban and rural areas, reducing travel times and improving accessibility.
2. Efficient Freight Movement: The project will facilitate the smoother and more cost-effective movement of goods, benefiting logistics and supply chain management.
3. Economic Growth: By improving transportation infrastructure, Bharatmala can stimulate economic growth, create jobs, and attract investments in infrastructure-related industries.
4. Development of Economic Corridors: The identification of economic corridors and their development can lead to increased economic activity and industrial growth along these routes.
5. Tourism Promotion: Better road connectivity to tourist destinations can boost tourism and contribute to local economies.
6. Regional Development: Infrastructure development under Bharatmala can foster growth in underserved and remote regions, promoting balanced regional development.
7. Safety and Security: Improved roads and border connectivity can enhance national security by ensuring better access to border areas.
8. Environmental Benefits: Modernized road infrastructure can include environmentally friendly features, reducing the environmental impact of transportation.
9. Reduced Congestion: By expanding road networks, Bharatmala can alleviate traffic congestion and enhance road safety.
10. Attracting Investments: The project can attract both domestic and foreign investments, further promoting economic development.

These benefits are contingent on the successful implementation and execution of the Bharatmala project.