The Central Government is set to prioritise the construction of ring roads, bypasses, and elevated corridors to address urban congestion and improve connectivity across Indian cities. This was discussed at a consultation workshop organised by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) on Wednesday, led by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, with participation from state and union territory representatives.
The session focused on draft policies that include the Urban Decongestion Policy, reforms in National Highway administration, and strategies for reusing inert waste from urban landfills in infrastructure works.
The Urban Decongestion Policy aims to alleviate traffic on National Highways passing through cities with populations exceeding one lakh by integrating access-controlled ring roads and bypasses with urban master plans. It proposes cost-sharing frameworks and innovative financing tools such as Value Capture Financing to accelerate implementation.
Another key proposal discussed was the reuse of inert landfill waste for building highway embankments. Officials noted that this method helps reduce reliance on natural soil, cuts construction costs, and supports urban solid waste management. Successful pilots like the UER-II in Delhi and the Ahmedabad–Dholera Expressway have demonstrated its viability. The Ministry has identified 15 major dump sites, which together account for around 600 million metric tonnes of the country’s legacy waste, and plans to sign MoUs with local municipalities for sourcing the material.
The State Road Development Policy was also deliberated upon, with the Centre proposing assistance to upgrade busy State Highways to four-lane corridors or more. The plan encourages Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to draw private capital and improve interstate and regional connectivity.
Senior officials from MoRTH presented the draft policies, joined by representatives from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and Municipal Corporation of Delhi. State governments shared region-specific suggestions and administrative insights, which will be factored into the final versions of the policies.
Ministry officials confirmed that constructive inputs were received and will be incorporated to ensure practical and regionally aligned implementation strategies.
