Cabinet nod to convert 7,200 km of state roads into highways

The government on Thursday decided to convert 7,200 km of state roads into national highways. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has given nod for declaring 7,200 km of state highways as national highways. With this the total length of the state highways converted into National Highways during the UPA regime would reach about 17,000 km. About 10,000 km of state highways were declared national highways during the last 10 years. These roads, sources said, are spread across states including Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh besides bordering areas such as Leh and Laddakh regions. The present length of the National Highways in the country is about 80,000 km.