Roads Must Be Judged by Economic Impact, Not Kilometres Built

Build Smarter Roads, Measure Real Economic Impact.

India should shift from measuring road development by kilometres constructed to evaluating infrastructure through safety, congestion reduction, logistics efficiency and economic productivity, said Akhilesh Srivastava, President of the International Road Federation–India Chapter and ITS India Forum. Speaking at the ETInfra Roads & Highways Summit, Srivastava stressed that roads must deliver measurable economic outcomes, including faster freight movement, lower logistics costs, improved manufacturing competitiveness and reduced travel time. He highlighted road safety and congestion as key investment metrics, noting that accidents and delays impose high economic costs. Srivastava also called for connected and intelligent highways that can communicate with vehicles, improve speed management and reduce dependence on driver behaviour. Access-controlled highways and automated digital enforcement, he said, can further improve traffic flow and transparency. India’s next phase of road development should therefore combine intelligent transport systems, connected infrastructure and efficient highway design to create safer, faster and more productive mobility networks.