Gandhinagar: The Gujarat government is not merely constructing roads but building bridges that fulfil the aspirations of crores of citizens, Roads and Buildings Minister Rushikesh Patel said in the Assembly while presenting the department’s budget demands, which were later approved by the House. He also announced that 3,100 new posts will be filled in the Roads and Buildings Department in the coming two years.

During the discussion on budgetary demands, the minister presented a detailed roadmap for strengthening infrastructure and connectivity across the state, stating that strong road connectivity is the true indicator of development as it accelerates industry, trade, tourism and overall economic growth.

Patel said Gujarat’s road network has expanded significantly over the last 25 years, growing from about 1 lakh km in 2001 to more than 1.35 lakh km by 2025.

Performance-based contracts, smart maintenance

The minister announced that the state will implement the Output and Performance-Based Road Contract (OPRC) system, under which contractors will be paid based on road performance rather than quantity of work. A provision of ₹200 crore has been made for the scheme to improve road quality and durability while reducing long-term expenditure.

In addition, ₹150 crore has been allocated for maintenance of state highways under the Short Term Maintenance Contract (STMC) system. Under a new cluster approach, roads of about 50 km length will be grouped and maintained under a single contract covering all repair works.

3,100 new recruitments

Patel said the government has approved 1,180 posts in the 2025-26 budget and 1,930 posts in the 2026-27 budget, taking the total to 3,110 new positions, which will be filled soon to strengthen the department’s functioning.

Integrated road and asset maintenance programme

A Chief Minister Road and Asset Maintenance Programme will be launched to ensure proper upkeep of highways carrying 70–80% of traffic, improve riding quality, enhance road safety and implement life-cycle management of road assets.

Under the Pragati Path Yojana, nine major corridors are being widened to four lanes to enable travel across the state within 6–8 hours. A new provision of ₹240 crore has been made for the project.

Strengthening taluka, district and rural connectivity

For strengthening roads connecting 267 taluka headquarters, the budget provides ₹927 crore, while ₹5,603 crore has been allocated for rural roads under the Mukhyamantri Gram Sadak Yojana, with the aim of achieving “Prosperous Villages, Prosperous Gujarat”.

Major expressways and highway projects

The minister said the 431-km Namo Shakti Expressway connecting Deesa–Surendranagar–Pipavav will link nine districts and reduce travel time from about 7.5 hours to nearly 4 hours.

The 680-km Somnath–Dwarka Expressway, estimated at ₹57,120 crore, will also connect nine districts and reduce travel time from Ahmedabad to Dwarka by around three hours.

Under the Ahmedabad–Mehsana 8-lane project, a 48-km stretch will be upgraded at a cost of ₹2,630 crore, including an elevated corridor and eight new flyovers.

Coastal highway and ring road connectivity

A 10-metre-wide coastal highway will be built from Umargam to Narayan Sarovar, strengthening tourism, fisheries and national security along Gujarat’s coastline.
Under the Parikrama Path scheme, outer and inner ring roads will further enhance inter-state and regional connectivity.

Green road technology

The state will adopt eco-friendly construction methods using waste plastic, cold mix and cement stabilisation technology. A 10-km pilot project at Jambusar, costing about ₹50 crore, is underway and expected to reduce carbon emissions.

Bullet train contribution

The minister said the state government has contributed ₹5,000 crore equity (25% share) for the Ahmedabad–Mumbai High Speed Rail project, which will give Gujarat global recognition.

High-speed corridor plan

Under the Garvi Gujarat High-Speed Corridor, about 1,032.82 km across 12 corridors will be upgraded at an estimated cost of ₹7,246.78 crore, ensuring faster and safer travel across the state.

Patel said the budget is not just about numbers but a reflection of Gujarat’s long-term development vision.
At the end of the discussion, the Assembly approved the budgetary demands of the Roads and Buildings Department. DeshGujarat