National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is set to invite new bids for the development of another 3,500km by the end of this month.

Until last month, the authority invited bids for projects of 4,900km, while additional bidding is scheduled during January-March next year, which will be identified by the end of this month.

Projects amounting to a total cost of Rs221bn ($3.42bn) and covering nearly 1170km have been awarded so far with several projects are now under evaluation.

NHAI has currently accelerated its efforts to achieve its target of awarding 10,000km during 2017-18 as set by the Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways, Shipping, Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation Nitin Gadkari.

During the last five years, NHAI awarded an average of 2,860km contracts, while 4,335km were awarded in this fiscal year.

“During the last five years, NHAI awarded an average of 2,860km contracts, while 4,335km were awarded in this fiscal year.”

Some of the projects that were bid out this year are Dwarka Expressway in Delhi; Varanasi Ring Road Phase-II in Uttar Pradesh; Jodhpur Ring Road in Rajasthan; fully Access Controlled Expressway (Anandapuram-Pendurthi-Anakapalli) with connectivity to Visakhapatnam Port in Andhra Pradesh along with other projects.

Currently, work on 12 new projects covering 597km has started, while construction works on 38 projects covering 1,969km are expected to start soon.

NHAI is also gearing up to fulfil the target of completing Phase I of the recently approved ‘Bharatmala Pariyojana’ within the next five years.

With the approval of the Bharatmala Pariyojana, the board is authorised to appraise and approve projects in engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) mode.