Bharatmala Pariyojana

Bharatmala Pariyojana is a centrally sponsored highway development programme launched in 2017 that consolidates India's major highway investment initiatives under a single umbrella framework. Phase-I covers 34,800 km of new highways at an outlay of approximately Rs 5.35 lakh crore, making it the largest highway programme in India's history. All tenders under Bharatmala flow primarily through NHAI and MoRTH.

What is Bharatmala Pariyojana in government procurement?

Bharatmala Phase-I encompasses five sub-programmes. Economic Corridor Development covers 9,000 km of highways connecting major economic centres, manufacturing clusters, ports, agricultural regions, and inter-state trade routes, that have inadequate connectivity. Ring Roads covers 5,000+ km of ring roads around 28 major cities and key urban agglomerations to divert through-traffic from city centres. Inter-Corridors covers 6,000 km of secondary routes linking economic corridors. National Corridor Efficiency Improvement covers 5,000 km of upgrades on existing national highway stretches. Green Field highways, coastal and port connectivity, and expressways make up the balance.

Procurement under Bharatmala is primarily through NHAI on EPC and HAM models. MoRTH also directly funds certain sections through the Budget where NHAI has not been assigned the work. State-specific highway agencies may implement portions in coordination with NHAI for roads that serve dual national-state connectivity roles.

The programme generates large annual tender volumes, NHAI alone has awarded contracts worth Rs 1-1.5 lakh crore annually in recent years, with Bharatmala packages at the core. Project packages range from Rs 500 crore to Rs 5,000 crore per stretch, covering 40-150 km each.

Expressway components under Bharatmala, 6 and 8-lane expressways like the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, Amritsar-Jamnagar Economic Corridor, and Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway, are among the most prestigious infrastructure contracts in India, with individual sections worth Rs 2,000-8,000 crore.

Why it matters for bidders

Bharatmala defines the highway procurement landscape for the next decade. Companies with the scale and capability to bid on NHAI packages, Rs 400+ crore annual turnover, multi-project track record, equipment fleet for large earthwork and pavement, have a sustained pipeline of large contracts.

The programme also has a significant trickle-down effect. Each Rs 1,000 crore NHAI EPC package generates Rs 200-300 crore of civil subcontracts (earthwork, culverts, minor bridges), Rs 100-150 crore of materials contracts (bitumen, aggregates, steel), and Rs 80-100 crore of services (plant hire, survey, testing labs). The entire construction supply chain benefits when Bharatmala spending is high.

For smaller companies not yet qualifying at the prime contract level, Bharatmala creates entry through subcontracting on active NHAI projects. A company that successfully subcontracts highway earthwork on a Bharatmala section builds the experience certificate needed to qualify as prime contractor in smaller highway tenders, and eventually scale up to NHAI direct bidding.

Example

NHAI issues an EPC tender under Bharatmala Phase-I for a new 4-lane Economic Corridor section connecting a major port to an inland logistics park in Rajasthan, 92 km, 4 flyovers, 1 ROB, and 8 VUPs. Estimated cost is Rs 2,400 crore. A large contractor wins at Rs 2,180 crore, 9.2% below estimate. The project is of strategic importance for improving port connectivity per the programme's economic corridor objectives. NHAI's Project Director monitors quarterly milestones tied to payment. The contractor generates 25% of the contract value in subcontracts, Rs 545 crore, distributed among 12 regional civil, electrical, and landscape contractors.

Key rules / thresholds

Bharatmala projects receive investment approval from the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA). Each project's DPR (Detailed Project Report) must be approved before NHAI issues the RFP. Environment clearances (EC), wildlife clearances, and forest clearances under the Forest Conservation Act are obtained by NHAI as the project authority before the appointed date (the date from which the contractor's contract period begins). If clearances are delayed, the contract period starts from when clearances are available, not from the original appointed date, this is a critical contractual protection for concessionaires.