Bharatmala Pariyojana (Current Affairs ⟋ GS 2017 - 18) - WW. 52

Next Week! ! Ministerial Summary of 2017. 📝 Key Aspects: Bridge critical infrastructure gaps, Optimize efficiency of road traffic movement, Macro approach for planning expansion, Corridor approach rather than packet-based approach, Corridor approach rather than packet-based approach, Focus areas.

Bharatmala Pariyojana (Current Affairs⟋GS 2017 - 18) - WW. 52 (In English)
  • Bharatmala is a new umbrella program for the highways sector focusing on optimizing efficiency of road traffic movement across the country by bridging critical infrastructure gaps.
Bharatmala Connecting India Image
  • NH linkage to 550 districts becoming a major driver for economic growth in the country.
  • Highways works worth ₹ 8 lakh crore will begin before the end of 2018 under the Bharatmala Pariyojana.

📝 Need - Corridor Approach vs. Package-Based Approach

  • With NHDP reaching a certain level of maturity it is now important to re-define road development and have a macro approach for planning expansion of the national highways network.
  • New scheme should be more focused and provide priority access to by bridging critical infrastructure gaps.
  • Bharatmala focuses on optimizing the efficiency of the movement of goods and people across the country by envisaging corridor approach in place of the existing package-based approach, which has resulted in skewed development.
  • Focus Areas: For example in areas of high traffic, even upto 30,000 Passenger Carrying Units (PCUs) , there are NH stretches of single and even intermediate lane which need urgent “development”

    👌 Aim and Advantages

  • Program designed to bridge the gaps in the existing highways infrastructure to make movement more efficient.
  • Focuses on connectivity of backward and tribal areas, areas of economic activity, places of religious and tourist interest, border areas, coastal areas, and trade routes with neighboring countries.
  • Provides 50 national corridors as opposed to 6 and aims to carry 70 to 80 percent freight against the 40 percent at present.
  • Will connect 550 Districts against only around 300 districts having NH linkages.
  • Will increase the Logistic Performance Index (LPI) from current 3.42 and 35th rank in the world.
  • Generate direct and indirect employment in the construction activity, development of highways amenities and enhanced economic activity.

Facts and Numbers

  • Total of around 24,800 kms are being considered in Phase I of Bharatmala.
  • Establish 24 logistics parks
  • Bharatmala Pariyojana Phase-I also includes 10,000 kms of balance road works under NHDP
  • Phase-1 would cost ₹ 5,35, 000 crore over five years period of i.e.. 2017 - 18 to 2021 - 22.
  • Subsume all projects under NHDP
  • Enabler and beneficiary of other key Government of India schemes, such as Sagarmala, Dedicated Freight Corridors, Industrial corridors, UDAN-RCS, BharatNet, Digital India and Make in India.
  • Highway work worth ₹ 8 lakh crore scheduled before 2018
  • Identified 26,200 km of economic corridor with heavy freight of which 9,000 km will be taken for development along with 8,000 km of Inter-corridors, 7,500 km of feeder corridors, 3300 km of border roads, 2000 km of international connectivity, 2100 km of coastal roads and 2000 km of port connectivity
Bharatmala Pariyojana
Table of Road Type And Total Length
Road TypeTotal LengthPhase-I Length
Economic Corridors (44 in number)26,200 km9,000 km
Inter-corridor & feeder Routes (66 in number)15,500 km6,000 km
National Corridors Efficiency Program (6 - 8 laning)5,000 km
Border & International connectivity roads5,300 km (3,300 km border roads + 2000 km international - BIMSTEC, MIT and BIN)2,000 km
Coastal & Port connectivity roads (synergy with Sagarmala)2,000 km
Expressways1,600 km800 km
Total under Bharatmala Pariyojana24,800 km
NH remaining under NHDP10,000 km10,000 km
Total to be built or upgraded83,677 km34,800 km

Efficiency of the National Corridor

  • Decongest choke points through lane expansion
  • Construction of ring roads, bypasses, elevated corridors and logistics parks at identified points.
  • 5,000 km of the National Corridor in Phase-I at an estimated cost of ₹ 100,000 crore.

Economic Corridors

  • 9,000 kms in Phase-I at an estimated cost of ₹ 1,20, 000 crore.
  • Ensure seamless and speedy travel
  • Uniformity in standards by addressing the infrastructure asymmetry
  • Roads connecting more than 2 corridors are classified as inter-corridors routes, while others connecting to 1 or 2 corridors are feeder corridors.

Port Corridors

  • To promote trade with Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar.
  • Around 2000 km will be taken up under Phase-I at an estimated cost of ₹ 25,000 crore.

Border and Port Corridors

  • 800 kms under Phase-I at an estimated cost of ₹ 40,000 crore.

Choosing Projects

  • Project stretches under components of Bharatmala was done based on:
    • Detailed O-D (Origin-Destination) study
    • Freight flow projections
    • Verification of the identified infrastructure gaps through geo mapping using data from Bhaskaracharya Institute for Space Applications and Geo-Informatics (BISAG) , Gandhinagar as well as from other sources.
  • Execution mechanism and financing - push towards PPP
  • Land acquisition and environmental clearances
  • Bolder visioning

This O-D study has also taken into account integration of economic corridors with the ongoing projects under NHDP and infrastructure asymmetry in major corridors.

  • The scheme provides a unique delegation in appraisal approval of individual project stretches through empowered Project Appraisal &Technical Scrutiny Committee
  • Grand challenge encourages State Governments to participate in the development process through competitive proposals

Project Appraisal & Technical Scrutiny Committee

  • Projects implemented under Bharatmala will be technically, financially, and economically appraised by an empowered Project Appraisal &Technical Scrutiny Committee setup by NHAI and MoRTH.
  • Committee would comprise of experts from NITI Aayog
  • Dedicated unit would place recommendations on appraisal of projects to NHAI Board or MoRTH

Other Programs of MoRTH (Ministry of Road Transport and Highways)

  • Special Accelerated Road Development Program for North-Eastern Region (SARDP-NE) for development of roads in the North East Left Wing Extremism (LWE) Affected Area projects.
  • The program of upgrading single-lane NH to at least two-lane with paved shoulders through Externally Aided Projects (EAPs) is also being carried out.
  • Comprehensive bridge program for building bridges is called Setu Bharatam where 1,500 bridges and 208 Railway over Bridges (ROB) and Railway under Bridges (RUBs) are being taken up.
  • A special package for Jammu & Kashmir and NH (O) is also in progress.

Logistics Performance Index

👌 Logistics Performance Index (LPI) reported by World Bank in every two years is a benchmarking tool for helping countries identify challenges and opportunities on trade logistics. It is the weighted average of the country scores on six key dimensions:

  • Efficiency of the clearance process (i.e.. , speed, simplicity, and predictability of formalities) by border control agencies, including customs
  • Quality of trade and transport related infrastructure (e. g. , ports, railroads, roads, information technology)
  • Ease of arranging competitively priced shipments
  • Competence and quality of logistics services (e. g. , transport operators, customs brokers)
  • Ability to track and trace consignments
  • Timeliness of shipments in reaching destination within the scheduled or expected delivery time
Logistics Performance Index

👌 In the 2016 Logistics Performance Index:

  • Top position is held by Germany
  • India holds 35th position, a significant improvement of 19 from 2014
  • China at 27th position, USA at 10th position, UK at 8th position & Singapore at 5th position
  • Civil war-inflicted Syria holds the last position

Fund Inflow

Ongoing schemes like NH (O) , SARDP-NE, EAP, LWE and Bharatmala have overall outlay of ₹ 6,92, 324 crore over a period of 5 years. Gross Budgetary Support for the Bharatmala program and existing schemes from 2017 - 18 to 2021 - 22:

  • ₹ 2,37, 024 crore from Central Road Fund (CRF)
  • ₹ 59,973 crore as Budgetary support
  • ₹ 34,000 crore from expected monetization through Toll-Operate-Transfer (ToT) route
  • ₹ 46,048 crore collected as Toll-Permanent Bridge Fee Fund (PBFF) by NHAI.

New 24,800 km arrived at based on OD (origin destination) surveys and traffic assessments

Focus Areas in News (Week 52 - 2017) !

  • Ganga Gram Project
  • Kyasanur Forest Disease (Monkey Fever)
  • SAMEEP Scheme
  • BND-4201
  • 📹 Project Mausam

Forthcoming Lectures

  • International Court of Justice
  • Urban Waste Management
  • NDMA Guidelines
  • Wassenaar Arrangement
Bharatmala Pariyojana (Current Affairs⟋GS 2017 - 18) - WW. 52 (In Hindi)

👌 implies important for Objective Questions⟋MCQ

📝 implies important for Subjective Questions

📹 implies covered in Videos or Upcoming Videos

Examrace Team at Aug 23, 2021