**Policy Summary: Declaration of Roads as National Highways**
This document summarizes the Indian Ministry of Road Transport and Highways' policy regarding the declaration of state roads as National Highways (NHs), as articulated in response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 750 on July 24, 2025.
The criteria for declaring a road as a National Highway include:
1. Connecting adjacent countries, National Capitals with State Capitals mutually the State Capitals, major ports, non major ports, large industrial centers, or tourist centers.
2. Fulfilling important strategic requirements in hilly and isolated areas.
3. Serving as arterial roads that significantly reduce travel distance and promote substantial economic growth.
4. Facilitating access to large backward areas and hilly regions.
5. Contributing to the achievement of a National Highways grid of 100 km.
6. Synergy with PM GatiShakti National Master Plan (NMP).
The document also addresses the specific case of the Kotputli-Sikar-Khud-Losal-Nagaur road in Rajasthan. While a portion of this route (Udaipurwati-Sikar-Khud-Losal-Nagaur) was previously approved In-Principle as a NH, the declaration of the entire Kotputli-Sikar-Khud-Losal-Nagaur road as a National Highway is currently not under consideration.
The Ministry receives proposals from State Governments/Union Territories for the declaration/upgradation of state roads as new NHs. Decisions are based on the aforementioned principles, connectivity needs, traffic density, inter-se priority, and synergy with the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan (NMP).
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways: The Indian government ministry responsible for the development and maintenance of the national highways network.
National Highway: A highway declared as a National Highway by the Government of India.
SHRI AMRA RAM: A member of Lok Sabha who raised a question about declaring roads as National Highways.
SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI: The Minister of Road Transport and Highways who answered the question in Lok Sabha.
State Highways (SHs): Roads within a state that are maintained by the state government.
PM GatiShakti National Master Plan (NMP): A national master plan for multi-modal connectivity.
Rajasthan: A state in India from which proposals for declaration/upgradation of state roads as new National Highways are received.
KotputliSikarKhudLosalNagaur road: A road in Rajasthan that was considered for declaration as a National Highway.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 750
ANSWERED ON 24TH JULY, 2025
DECLARING OF ROADS AS NATIONAL HIGHWAY
†750. SHRI AMRA RAM:
Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार् ग मंत्री
be pleased to state:
(a) the criteria for declaring a road as a National Highway;
(b) the reasons for not declaring the Kotputli–Sikar–Khud–Losal–
Nagaur road as a National Highway; and
(c) whether the Government had earlier given in-principle approval
for the said road and if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)
(a) State roads, including State Highways (SHs), are declared as
National Highways (NHs) from time to time on the basis of well-
established broad principles, including: -
i. Connecting adjacent countries, National Capitals with State
Capitals / mutually the State Capitals, major ports, non-
major ports, large industrial centers or tourist centers.
ii. Roads having important strategic requirement in hilly and
isolated area.
iii. Arterial roads which enable sizeable reduction in travel
distance and achieve substantial economic growth.iv. Roads which help in opening up large tracts of backward
area and hilly region.
v. Roads contributing towards achievement of National
Highways grid of 100 km.
vi. Synergy with PM GatiShakti National Master Plan (NMP).
(b) and (c) Government receives proposals from various State
Governments / UTs, including from the State of Rajasthan, from time
to time, for declaration / upgradation of State roads as new NHs.
Decisions are taken based on the broad principles of declaration of
NHs, requirement of connectivity, traffic density, inter-se priority
and synergy with PM GatiShakti National Master Plan (NMP).
Stretch from Udaipurwati–Sikar–Khud–Losal–Nagaur of
Kotputli–Sikar–Khud–Losal–Nagaur road in the State of Rajasthan
was approved In-Principle as NH. At present, declaration of
Kotputli–Sikar–Khud–Losal–Nagaur road in the State of Rajasthan as
NH is not under consideration.
*****