Roads in India

The roads in India have been in existence for at least 3000 years. In the 4th century the prime minister of Emperor Chandra Gupta Maurya, B.C. Kautilya has mentioned rules about the depth of road for different kinds of traffic in his book "Arthasastra". Later in the 5th century Asoka, the Great had improved the roads.

During the Mughal periods, the roads of India were greatly improved. Some of the highways either built or maintained by Mughals received great appreciation from the foreign visitors who visited India during that period.

Jayakar Committee

After the first world war, the use of motor vehicles increased and the demanded a better road network which can carry both bullock cart traffic and motor vehicles. Hence in 1927, the govenment appointed a Road development Committe headed by M.R. Jayakar.

Recommendations made by the committe:

1. Central Government should take the complete charge of roads as it is a matter of national interest.
2. It suggested to found "Central Road Fund" to create road development fund with an extra tax levied on petrol from road users.
3. It also suggested to found a semi official technical body to pool know how from various parts of the country and to act as an advisory body on various aspects of roads.
4. A research institute should be instituted to carry out research and development work and to be available for consultations.

Most of the recommendations were accepted by the government. The Central Road Fund was formed by the year 1929 and the semi official technical body called Indian Road Congress was formed in 1934 and Central Road Research Institute was formed in 1950.

Motor Vehicle Act

The Motor Vehicle Act was brought into force by the government in 1939 to regulate the road traffic in the form of traffic laws, ordinance and regulations.

The Motor Vehicle Act has been revised in the year 1988.

20 Year Road Development Plan

The Nagpur Plan (1943-63)

 A conference of the Chief Engineers of all the states and provinces was convened in 1943 by the Government of India at Nagpur.

Features of Nagpur Plan

1. National Highways which would connect several states and provinces and would be of national importance for strategic, administrative and other purpose.
2. State highways which would be connect imporant places within a state.
3. District Roads which would take traffic from main roads to the interior of each district.
   District Roads were further divided into Major District Roads and Other District Roads.
4. Village Roads which would connect a village or a group of villages to the road system.

Targets of Nagpur Plan:

1. 2 Lakh kms of road across the country within 20 years.
2. Construction of star and grid pattern.
3. Road density of 16 kms per 100 sq km.

 The Bombay Plan (1961-81)

 The second 20 year road development plan was initiated by the IRC and finalised in 1959 for the period 1961-81. This road development plan is known as Bombay Road Plan.

Targets of Bombay Plan: 

1. Total road length to be construct was about 10 Lakh kms.
2. Road density of 32 kms per 100 sq km.
3. 1600 KM of expressway
4. Traffic engineering cells in each state. 

The Lucknow Plan (1981-2001)

The 3rd 20 year development road plan was prepared by Road Wing of the Ministry of Shipping and Transport. 

Targets of Lucknow Plan:

1.  Road length to be construct by the year 2001 was 27 Lakh.
2. Road density of 82 km per 100 sq km.
3. National Highway of a square grid of 100 KM X 100 KM.
4. All weather road to connect villages or group of villages with a population of 500 and above. For villages with population less than 500, an all weather road shall be available at a distance of less than 3 km in plain areas and 5 km in hilly terrain.
5. Expressway to be constructed on major traffic highways.
6. The Major District Roads to connect all towns and villages with a population of 1500 and above.
7. The other District Roads to connect  villages with a population of 1000 to 1500.

 

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