A flagship road development program by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) aiming to:
- Improve connectivity and logistics efficiency.
- Develop economic corridors, expressways, border and port roads.
- Reduce travel time and transportation costs.
Objectives
- Boost economic growth by strengthening trade routes.
- Enhance connectivity to remote/rural areas and industrial hubs.
- Lower logistics costs (target: from 14% to 8% of GDP).
- Strengthen defense and border roads.
- Promote sustainability with green and solar-powered highways.
Phases of Bharatmala
Phase 1 (Launched 2017)
- Target: 34,800 km
- Budget: ₹5.35 lakh crore
- Includes:
- Economic Corridors (26,000 km)
- Feeder Roads (6,000 km)
- National Corridors, Border Roads, Port Connectivity
- Status: Ongoing with delays from land acquisition, now streamlined.
Phase 2 (Announced)
- Target: 5,000 km
- Focus: New zones, last-mile connectivity, faster approvals, balanced investment across states.
Major Expressways Under Bharatmala
| Expressway | Length | Cost | Key Benefits |
| Delhi-Mumbai | 1,386 km | ₹1 lakh cr | Travel time halved, industrial growth |
| Ganga | 594 km | ₹37,350 cr | Connects East-West UP, boosts trade |
| Bundelkhand | 296 km | ₹15,000 cr | Supports UP’s defense corridor |
| Purvanchal | 341 km | ₹22,500 cr | Links Eastern UP, airstrip for defense |
| Gorakhpur Link | 91 km | ₹5,876 cr | Connects Purvanchal, improves logistics |
Economic and Strategic Impacts
- Reduces logistics costs.
- Creates 50 lakh+ jobs.
- Links SEZs, industrial corridors, and rural areas.
- Enhances border security and regional trade (e.g., Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar).
- Supports green energy and tourism.
Challenges
- Land acquisition delays and high costs.
- Funding constraints—relies on PPPs and toll revenues.
- Environmental and social impact: forest loss, displacement.
PM GatiShakti National Master Plan (2021)
A digital infrastructure planning platform integrating 44 Ministries and 36 States/UTs using GIS, AI, and Big Data.
Goals
- Coordinate across transport sectors: road, rail, air, ports.
- Faster project approvals, efficient planning, and cost reduction.
- Linked with Bharatmala, Sagarmala (ports), UDAN (air), and others.
Key Achievements of PM GatiShakti
- 8,891 km roads and 27,000 km rail lines planned.
- Used by states for urban planning, healthcare, flood control, etc.
- Helps identify infrastructure gaps and avoid project duplication.
Integration: Bharatmala and GatiShakti
| Aspect | Bharatmala | GatiShakti |
| Role | Builds highways and corridors | Plans and monitors them digitally |
| Focus | Physical infrastructure | Digital coordination and optimization |
| Impact | Boosts connectivity | Cuts delays, improves execution |
Examples:
- Delhi-Mumbai Expressway: aligned with SEZs, freight corridors.
- Ganga Expressway: logistics streamlined via digital traffic planning.
National Logistics Policy (NLP) and GatiShakti
- Launched: 2022
- Goal: Cut logistics costs to 8% of GDP.
- ULIP platform: Links 33 systems for real-time tracking.
- LDB: Tracks 100% EXIM cargo using IoT and Big Data.
Conclusion
Bharatmala Pariyojana and PM GatiShakti form the backbone and brain of India’s infrastructure transformation:
- Bharatmala: Builds high-speed, eco-friendly roads.
- GatiShakti: Digitally plans and coordinates across sectors.
- Together, they:
- Slash travel time.
- Lower costs.
- Improve connectivity and economic output.
- Position India as a global logistics hub.