Indian Highways NetworkThere have been charges and counter-charges between the Congress-led UPA and the BJP-led NDA about the progress (or lack of it) of road projects during the last few years.

While BJP claims that road building has come to a virtual stand-still under the UPA, the Congress is countering that more projects are being executed under their regime.

Here is a quick fact check on only one aspect – national highways - of the 3.3 million kms road network in the country.

As the table below shows, the national highways network increased from 49,585 kms in 1999 to 65,569 kms in 2004 – an increase of 15,984 kms during the NDA regime which lasted five years.

And the NH network under the UPA increased from 65,569 kms to 79,243 kms as of today – an increase of 13,674 kms from 2004, which is nine years.

YearNational Highways (in Kms) Per day increase* (in Kms)
NDA
1999

49,585

2000

52,010

8.1
2001

57,737

19.1
2002

58,112

1.25
2003

58,112

0#
2004

65,569

24.8
UPA

2005

65,569

0#
2006

66,590

3.4
2007

66,590

0#
2008

66,754

0.5
2009

70,548

12.6
2010

70,934

1.2
2011

70,934

0#
2012-2013

79,243

27.6

* Per day increase is calculated using = (New year road built - Previous year Road Built / no.of working days in a Year)(Source: NHAI; Ministry of Road Transport & Highways)

# refers to the fact that the road built might not have been reported.