India may soon receive clearance for a $3bn loan from the World Bank for road construction.

“The World Bank President Robert B Zoellick is arriving here on 2 December and we are hopeful of getting clearance for the $3bn loan as sought by us for highway projects,” said Road and Highways Minister Kamal Nath.

The loan will be used to convert nearly 6,372km of one-lane highways into two-lane highways, under the government’s National Highways development project phase IV.

The Indian Government is considering treating the loan as part of a planned budget but may also decide to toll the road, a move that has never been done before and is likely to be unpopular.

The request has been submitted to the bank and a decision is expected in December.