From The Economic Times · ET Online · · 1m 30s
India's highways get new design rulebook
NHAI standardises lane widths, safety measures and interchange designs across all new high-speed corridors.
In brief
NHAI standardises lane widths, safety measures and interchange designs across all new high-speed corridors. India now has uniform technical standards for building four and six-lane high-speed highways, replacing inconsistent practices that varied project to project. Originally reported by The Economic Times.
NHAI sets uniform highway standards
India's National Highways Authority introduced new guidelines for four and six-lane high-speed corridors to bring consistency to road design, improve safety and ensure smoother traffic flow.
Lane width depends on traffic volume
Four-lane highways serving up to 15,000 vehicles daily will be 60 metres wide. Four-lane highways for 15,000 to 25,000 vehicles and six-lane highways for 25,000 to 40,000 vehicles will both be 70 metres wide.
Safety features for high-speed driving
New guidelines include advance signage for highway exits and entries so drivers can anticipate access points. One-metre boundary walls will prevent unauthorised entry and keep stray cattle off the carriageway.
Interchanges connect major hubs
Guidelines mandate interchanges at crossings with other highways and connections to airports, ports, industrial areas and tourist destinations to maintain access while supporting uninterrupted corridor movement.
Consistency in project planning
Until now, no separate standards existed for access-controlled high-speed highways beyond Expressways, leading to variations in Detailed Project Reports. The new framework establishes common technical and safety provisions.
Aligned with long-term infrastructure goals
The guidelines support India's Viksit Bharat 2047 roadmap, which aims to develop 50,000 kilometres of access-controlled high-speed corridors to improve connectivity and reduce logistics costs.
The bottom line
India now has uniform technical standards for building four and six-lane high-speed highways, replacing inconsistent practices that varied project to project.
