Table of Contents
National Highways in India
National highways in India are an essential component of the country’s road network, providing connectivity to different parts of the country. These highways are constructed and maintained by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and are an integral part of the nation’s infrastructure. They play a significant role in the transportation of goods and people and are a crucial lifeline for the economy. Spanning thousands of kilometres, the national highways of India connect major cities, towns, and villages, and facilitate the movement of goods and services across the country. They also serve as vital links for the armed forces and are an essential aspect of national defence.
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List of National Highways in India
Here is the complete List of National Highways in India given below:
S. No | New Name | Old Name | Description |
1 | NH 1 | NH 1A and NH 1D | One of the oldest highways in India, it connects Delhi and Amritsar. |
2 | NH 19 | NH 2 – part of Golden Quadrilateral | Connects Palanpur in Gujarat with Panvel in Maharashtra. |
3 | NH 244 | NH 1B | Part of the Golden Quadrilateral connects Delhi and Kolkata. |
4 | NH 519 | NH 2A | Connects Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh with Uttar Pradesh. |
5 | NH 114 | NH 2B | Connects the cities of Moradabad and Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh. |
6 | NH 60 | NH 3 and NH 50 | Connects Kolkata and Mumbai via Kharagpur, Bhubaneswar, and Vishakhapatnam. |
7 | NH 4 | NH 223 | Connects Mumbai and Chennai via Pune and Bangalore. |
8 | NH 748 | NH 4A | Connects Belgaum in Karnataka with Goa. |
9 | NH 348 | NH 4B | Connects Hospet in Karnataka with Hubli. |
10 | NH 16 | NH 5, NH 6, NH 60, and NH 217 – part of Golden Quadrilateral | Part of the Golden Quadrilateral, it connects Chennai and Kolkata via Visakhapatnam and Bhubaneswar. |
11 | NH 44 | NH 7 | Connects Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir with Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu. |
12 | NH 138 | NH 7A | Connects Hyderabad with Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh. |
13 | NH 48 | NH 8 – part of Golden Quadrilateral | Part of the Golden Quadrilateral, it connects Delhi and Mumbai via Jaipur, Ahmedabad, and Vadodara. |
14 | NH 41 | NH 8A | Connects Ahmedabad in Gujarat with Kandla in the same state. |
15 | NH 147 | NH 8C | Connects Ahmedabad with Dholera in Gujarat. |
16 | NH 151 | NH 8D | Connects Godhra in Gujarat with Bamanbore in Rajasthan. |
17 | NH 65 | NH 9 | Connects Pune in Maharashtra with Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh. |
18 | NH 21 | NH 11 | Connects Ambala in Haryana with Chandigarh. |
19 | NH 148 | NH 11A | Connects Dehradun in Uttarakhand with Chamba in Himachal Pradesh. |
20 | NH 45 | NH 12 | Connects Dindigul in Tamil Nadu with Bangalore in Karnataka. |
21 | NH 40 | NH 18 and NH 4 | Connects Hyderabad in Telangana with Bangalore in Karnataka. |
22 | NH 5 | NH 21, NH 22, and NH 95 | Connects Chennai in Tamil Nadu with Kolkata in West Bengal via Vijayawada and Bhubaneswar. |
23 | NH 320 | NH 23 | Connects Barhi in Jharkhand with Hazaribagh in the same state. |
24 | NH 530 | NH 24 | Connects Delhi with Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh. |
25 | NH 319 | NH 30 | Connects Ahmedabad with Dholka in Gujarat. |
26 | NH 112 | NH 35 | Connects Kolkata with Dawki in Meghalaya. |
27 | NH 129 | NH 39 | Connects Numaligarh in Assam with Dimapur in Nagaland. |
28 | NH 544 | NH 47 | Connects Salem in Tamil Nadu with Kanyakumari. |
29 | NH 966B | NH 47A | Connects Kundanoor with Willingdon Island in Kochi, Kerala. |
30 | NH 966A | NH 47C | Connects Kundanoor with Vyttila Mobility Hub in Kochi, Kerala. |
31 | NH 110 | NH 55 | Connects Salem with Karur in Tamil Nadu. |
32 | NH 731 | NH 56 | Connects Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh with Ranchi in Jharkhand. |
33 | NH 156 | NH 79 | Connects Anand in Gujarat with Udaipur in Rajasthan. |
34 | NH 127A | NH 152 | Connects Chandigarh with Manali in Himachal Pradesh. |
35 | NH 315 | NH 38 and NH 153 | Connects Jaipur with Kishangarh in Rajasthan. |
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Longest National Highway in India
NH 44 (formerly NH7) is the longest national highway in India, running from Jammu and Kashmir to Kanyakumari, passing through states like Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.
The shortest national highway in India is NH 966 B (previously known as NH 47A), spanning 8 km between Kundanoor and Willingdon Island in Kochi, Kerala.
National Highways in India Important Facts
- The Golden Quadrilateral is a national highway network connecting Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Chennai, the major metropolitan cities in India, from the four cardinal directions.
- India has the second-largest road network in the world, with national highways making up 40% of the network.
- The Leh-Manali highway connects Shimla to Leh in Ladakh and is the second-highest-altitude motorable highway in the world
- NH 48 (formerly NH8) is the longest national highway of India within a single state, running through the entire length of Gujarat from the border with Rajasthan to the border with Maharashtra.
- The North-South Corridor (NH 7, NH 44, NH 16) is the longest national highway corridor in India, stretching over 4,000 km from Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir to Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu.
- The East-West Corridor (NH 27, NH 30, NH 31, NH 31C, NH 12, NH 16) is the second-longest national highway corridor in India, running for about 3,700 km from Porbandar in Gujarat to Silchar in Assam.
- NH 52, which runs through the northeastern states of Assam, Meghalaya, and Mizoram, is the only national highway in India that passes through a wildlife sanctuary (Nokrek National Park).
- The longest road tunnel in India, the 9.2 km-long Chenani-Nashri Tunnel, is located on NH 44 in Jammu and Kashmir.
- The Bandra-Worli Sea Link, which connects Bandra in Mumbai to Worli across Mahim Bay, is a toll bridge that is part of NH 48.
- NH 66, which runs along the west coast of India from Panvel in Maharashtra to Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, was previously known as NH 17 and is the only national highway in India to pass through four states (Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala).
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National Highways of India Map
The national highways of India form a vast network connecting major cities, towns, and rural areas across the country. The map displays the extensive road system that plays a crucial role in facilitating trade, commerce, and travel.

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National Highways Authority of India
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is an autonomous agency responsible for the development, management, and maintenance of India’s national highways. It was established in 1988 and operates under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. NHAI is responsible for the construction of new highways, upgrading and expansion of existing highways, toll collection, and monitoring the overall safety and efficiency of the national highway network.
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National Highways in India UPSC
National Highways in India is an important topic for the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) exam. The exam covers a wide range of topics, including the infrastructure of the country, which includes the national highway network. Candidates need to have a thorough understanding of the national highways in India and their significance in the country’s economy and development.
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