The 108th meeting of the Network Planning Group (NPG) was held at the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) to evaluate major road infrastructure proposals aimed at strengthening multimodal connectivity and logistics efficiency under the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan.
During the meeting, the NPG assessed seven road projects submitted by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) for alignment with PM GatiShakti principles, including integrated multimodal infrastructure planning, last-mile connectivity to economic and social nodes, and a “Whole of Government” approach. The projects are expected to significantly improve logistics performance, reduce travel time and fuel consumption, and deliver wide-ranging socio-economic benefits in their respective regions.
Among the key proposals reviewed was the six-laning of the 102-km Salem-Kumarapalayam stretch of NH-544 in Tamil Nadu, a critical segment of the Kochi-Coimbatore-Bengaluru freight and passenger corridor. The project aims to improve access to industrial clusters, logistics hubs, SEZs and major freight infrastructure, while enhancing road safety and traffic flow through upgraded junctions, bridges and service roads.
The NPG also evaluated the proposed 189.93-km Amaravati Outer Ring Road in Andhra Pradesh, envisioned as a greenfield corridor to decongest Vijayawada, Guntur and Tenali. Designed as a multimodal logistics corridor, the ORR will integrate with National Waterway-4 and provide connectivity to ports such as Machilipatnam and Krishnapatnam, potentially reducing travel time by 30-40 per cent while lowering emissions.
In Jammu and Kashmir, the proposal to widen and strengthen the 62.10-km Rafiabad–Tangdhar road to a two-lane corridor with paved shoulders was reviewed. The project is expected to enhance strategic and border connectivity along the Line of Control, improve defence logistics, and support socio-economic development by improving access to healthcare, education and tourism in remote areas.
The meeting also considered consultancy services for the construction of the 48.10-km Leh Bypass in Ladakh, a strategic greenfield corridor linking NH-01 and NH-03. The bypass is aimed at easing congestion in Leh city, improving access to Leh Airport and industrial estates, and supporting tourism, trade and regional development.
Another major project under review was the upgradation of the 77.10-km Chitrakoot-Majhgawan-Satna corridor across Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh into a four-lane divided highway. The project is expected to enhance inter-state connectivity, facilitate industrial freight movement – particularly from cement plants in the Satna region – and improve access to religious and tourist destinations in Chitrakoot.
The NPG also examined the proposal for a 156.10-km four-lane greenfield highway from Rourkela to Sithiyo, spanning Odisha and Jharkhand. Strategically aligned with PM GatiShakti economic nodes, the corridor will connect with major national and international routes, including the Asian Highway network and the Golden Quadrilateral, strengthening inter-state mobility and logistics efficiency.
Additionally, the construction of a 9.98-km six-lane greenfield Patna Ring Road stretch from Kanhauli to Sherpur in Bihar was reviewed. Part of NH-131G, the project is expected to ease congestion in Patna, improve connectivity to railways, the upcoming Bihta Airport and proposed bus terminals, and support industrial and logistics growth in the region.
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