When gauging a nation’s progress, what do you look at? GDP, per capita income, or perhaps the happiness index? While these metrics matter, India road network development offers a deeper insight. Just like a healthy human body depends on clear veins for uninterrupted blood flow, a country’s growth hinges on its “veins”—its roads. For India, with its 1.4 billion people, the state of its road infrastructure could determine whether it races toward superpower status or stalls halfway.
Hello, I’m Adarsh Dutt Upadhyay, and today we’re conducting an “angiography” of India’s roads. We’ll compare them to powerhouses like the USA and China, explore their role in development, and ask: Are our roads ready for a $5 trillion economy? If this resonates with you, please bookmark our website and comment down your thoughts—your support fuels this journey!
If you wish to watch a video version of this article, here it is:
Let’s get started.
India’s Road Network: Impressive Length, Lackluster Speed
India boasts the second-largest road network globally, stretching across 6.7 million kilometers as of 2025, per the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) latest updates. That’s just behind the USA’s 7.04 million kilometers. But numbers alone don’t tell the full story of India road network development. The average travel speed on Indian highways is a sluggish 47 kmph, according to a 2024 NITI Aayog report. Compare that to the USA’s 100+ kmph or China’s 90 kmph, and the gap is stark. Shockingly, even Pakistan edges us out at 50 kmph, as noted in the 2022 IMF Infrastructure Report.
Why does this matter? Speed isn’t just convenience—it’s efficiency. India’s dream of becoming the 5th largest economy with a $5 trillion GDP by 2030 (Economic Survey 2024-25 projection) could falter if its roads remain clogged. India road network development is about more than asphalt—it’s the lifeline of trade, connectivity, and ambition.
Controlled Access Roads: The Expressway Deficit
The real chasm in India road network development lies in controlled-access highways (expressways). India has just 5,579 km of expressways—only 0.1% of its total network (MoRTH, 2025). The USA boasts 95,648 km (1.4% of its network), while China dominates with 190,000+ km—over double the USA’s figure, per the 2024 World Bank Infrastructure Index. That’s 17 times more expressways in the USA and 34 times more in China than India.
Expressways are growth engines. In the USA, 86% of passenger transport and 60% of cargo movement depend on roads (USDOT, 2024). China’s vast network underpins its manufacturing supremacy, even with bullet trains. India’s late entry—its first expressway, the Delhi-Noida Direct Flyway, opened in 2001—puts it decades behind. The USA built highways in the 1960s, China in the 1980s. We’re still catching up.
Traffic Congestion: A National Headache
Traffic jams cripple India road network development. The TomTom Traffic Index 2024 ranks Bangalore and Pune among the world’s most congested cities, where traveling 10 km takes over 35 minutes—an average of 17 kmph. Nationally, it’s not much better. Jams waste time, inflate fuel costs by 20% (IEA 2024 report), and strain the economy and environment.
Why so gridlocked? India’s 1.4 billion population shares just 5 km of road per 1,000 people, versus 20 km in the USA (World Bank, 2024). But population isn’t the sole culprit. With only 33 cars per 1,000 people ( SIAM 2024 data) compared to 800+ in the USA and New Zealand, India’s congestion is poised to worsen as car ownership grows. Poor public transport—ranked 112th globally in efficiency (WEF 2024)—pushes people toward private vehicles, yet our roads can’t keep up.
Roads and Economic Growth: The Vital Link
Good roads slash logistics costs, a key metric in India road network development. India’s costs hover at 13-14% of GDP, far above China’s 10% and the USA’s 8% (NITI Aayog, 2024). The government’s Bharatmala Pariyojana, targeting 34,800 km of highways by 2027-28, and the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway (nearing completion in 2025, promising 120 kmph speeds) aim to cut this to 8-10% by 2030. The National Infrastructure Pipeline has allocated $146 billion through 2025 for transport upgrades (EY Report, 2024).
Expressways also elevate living standards. In the USA, highways handle 86% of passenger travel, letting people move freely. In India, where 85% of passengers travel by road (MoRTH, 2024), congestion dims this freedom. China’s investment in world-class border roads bolsters its defense—India’s Ladakh highway projects (2025 completion) echo this strategy.
Why Are We Behind? A Historical Lens
India’s road saga predates independence—Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro had planned streets 4,000 years ago. Yet post-1947, priorities shifted to poverty, famine, riots, and wars with China and Pakistan. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) wasn’t formed until 1989, and the 1991 LPG reforms sparked the realization: without roads, reforms were hollow. The 1998 National Highway Development Program under Atal Bihari Vajpayee marked a turning point, birthing projects like the Mumbai-Pune Expressway.
Contrast this with the USA’s 1960s interstate boom or China’s 1980s expressway push. India’s lag isn’t just infrastructural—it’s historical.
The Road Ahead: A 2037 Vision
By 2037, India aims for a world-class road network, per the Vision 2047 Developed Nation Plan (MoRTH, 2024). The 2 lakh km national highway target by 2025 is on track, with 15,000 km added in 2024 alone (Union Budget 2025). High-speed expressways promise efficiency, cutting logistics costs to fuel a $26 trillion economy by 2047 (EY, 2023). Challenges like funding ($1.4 trillion NIP shortfall) and monsoon wear persist, but progress is undeniable.
India vs. USA and China: 2025 Snapshot
- GDP: India’s $4 trillion (2025 est.) trails USA’s $28 trillion and China’s $19 trillion (IMF, 2025).
- Per Capita Income: India’s $2,800 vs. USA’s $80,000 and China’s $13,000.
- Road Speed: India’s 47 kmph vs. USA’s 100+ kmph, China’s 90 kmph.
- Expressways: India’s 5,579 km vs. USA’s 95,648 km, China’s 190,000 km.
Conclusion: Time to Accelerate
India road network development is a tale of potential and pitfalls. We’re second in length, but last in speed and access. To rival the USA and China, we need efficiency—roads that breathe life into our $5 trillion dream. What do you think: Can India’s roads propel us to greatness by 2047? Drop your thoughts below!
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