In the fiscal year 2023-24, the road and railway ministries achieved an unprecedented capital expenditure of Rs 5.2 lakh crore, despite constraints posed by the Model Code of Conduct for the Lok Sabha election. These sectors accounted for 50% of the Rs 10 lakh crore capex allocation for the year.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways expended Rs 2.6 lakh crore, equivalent to 99.9% of the revised estimate and marking a notable 29% increase from the previous fiscal year. Among the four highway building agencies, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) alone disbursed around Rs 2.1 lakh crore.

This heightened spending in the highway sector led to the construction of 12,336 km of highways, averaging nearly 34 km per day—the second-highest rate of national highway construction in the country’s history. The record remains at 13,327 km in 2020-21, with a daily construction rate of 36.5 km.

In the railways sector, the overall capital expenditure amounted to approximately Rs 2.6 lakh crore, reflecting a significant 26.5% increase over the previous fiscal year. This surge in expenditure facilitated the expedited electrification of railway lines, as well as the construction of new lines and tracks. Notably, 7,188 km of railway lines were electrified, while 5,300 km were laid for new lines, doubling, and gauge conversion.