Gandhinagar
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has approved a Rs 2,609-crore plan to resurface and improve 1,258 rural roads covering 4,196 km across the state. The move aims to strengthen rural connectivity, ensure smoother travel, and provide villagers with all-weather roads.
According to officials, the project will cover 487 roads (1,609 km) in north Gujarat, 499 roads (1,528 km) in south Gujarat, and 272 roads (1,059 km) in Saurashtra. The decision follows repeated appeals from local leaders and rural communities who sought durable roads for daily use and economic activities.
The upgraded network is expected to ease movement within villages, improve access to towns and cities, and support agricultural and trade activities. Better roads are also seen as a way to improve healthcare access, education, and employment opportunities for rural populations.
Gujarat already has one of India’s most extensive road systems, spanning more than 1.63 lakh km, including highways, expressways, and village routes. The state built India’s first expressway — the Ahmedabad-Vadodara route — and continues to expand connectivity through major projects.
The government has also linked infrastructure to broader development goals, including industrial corridors, logistics hubs, and the Mumbai–Ahmedabad bullet train project. By prioritising rural roads, Gujarat hopes to balance urban and rural growth.
In the 2024-25 budget, the state highlighted its focus on infrastructure, setting aside funds for rural connectivity, modern highways, expressways, and smart city projects in Ahmedabad and Surat. Coastal roads and renewable energy-linked transport systems also remain key priorities.
Officials say the new road plan will directly benefit thousands of villages, ensuring economic progress reaches every corner of the state.