New Delhi: The sixth edition of the prestigious National Highways Excellence Awards 2023 will be held in New Delhi at Bharat Mandapam on Tuesday. This important event is organised by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to celebrate the achievements and efforts made in India’s fast-growing infrastructure and national highways sector. The awards recognise professionals and organisations that have shown excellence in building and maintaining high-quality highway infrastructure.
Government Leaders to Attend Ceremony
The event will see the presence of key government leaders. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari will attend the event along with Ministers of State Ajay Tamta and Harsh Malhotra. Secretary V. Umashankar and senior officials from the ministry and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will also participate in the occasion. Their involvement underlines the significance of the awards in shaping India’s road infrastructure future.
The National Highways Excellence Awards were first introduced in 2018 to promote healthy competition and reward those who contribute to improving highway development in India. These awards celebrate remarkable efforts in highway construction, maintenance, and innovation across the country. They help encourage best practices and bring forward new ideas in infrastructure management.
Panel Discussions on Highway Technologies
Apart from the award ceremony, the daylong event will feature expert-led panel discussions. Topics will include emerging technologies in road construction, building highways in difficult terrains such as hills, and boosting the global competitiveness of Indian construction companies. These sessions will allow experts to share knowledge and explore new approaches to highway development.
India has seen an incredible rise in the length of its National Highway network over the last ten years. From just over 91,000 kilometres in 2014, it has now grown to over 146,000 kilometres by 2024. This growth places India as the country with the second-largest road network in the world.
This expansion is largely due to key government initiatives such as the Bharatmala Pariyojana and other flagship programmes. These projects have focused on building world-class roadways to improve connectivity and boost economic development.
Global Partnerships Accelerating Growth
India’s National High-Speed Corridors have expanded from just 93 kilometres in 2014 to 2,474 kilometres by 2024. Additionally, another 2,540 kilometres of roads have been developed through externally aided projects supported by organisations like the World Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
The National Highways Excellence Awards 2023 will not only recognise top performers but also highlight India’s achievements in building world-class road infrastructure. With strong leadership, international collaborations, and innovative thinking, India continues to drive forward in its mission to become a global leader in highway development.
