The BJP-led West Bengal Government has granted in-principle approval for transferring seven National Highway stretches from the state Public Works Department’s NH Wing to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), paving the way for long-pending development work to resume.
According to a statement issued in this regard, three of the stretches will be managed by the NHAI, while four have been handed over to the NHIDCL. The proposal had been pending with the state government for nearly a year despite repeated requests from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, leading to delays in execution of key infrastructure upgrades. With the latest clearance, Central agencies are expected to move forward with development work without further administrative bottlenecks.
The seven stretches are strategically significant as they strengthen regional and cross-border connectivity, including links to Sikkim, Bhutan and Bangladesh. They also enhance road connectivity across the Darjeeling Hills, Dooars and North Bengal, while improving the Bihar–Bengal corridor through Malda and Murshidabad. In addition, the upgraded network will reinforce the road spine through Murshidabad, Nadia and North 24 Parganas up to the Indo-Bangladesh border at Ghojadanga. The development work on these corridors had remained stalled due to the absence of formal handover, affecting project timelines and execution. The latest approval is expected to accelerate construction and infrastructure modernisation across these critical routes. With this decision, the state government has enabled central agencies to begin implementation on all seven stretches, marking a significant step towards improving connectivity and ensuring faster execution of key national highway projects in the region. The decision is being seen as part of the new BJP-led state government’s early push to implement its governance and infrastructure promises soon after taking charge. Party leaders have maintained that expediting stalled projects and improving connectivity are among the top priorities of the administration, aimed at boosting economic activity and regional development.
