The government of India has signed a loan agreement of $500 million (approx Rs 3,000 crore) with World Bank, for the National Highways Inter-connectivity Improvement Project (NHIIP).
The project, undertaken by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), involves upgradation of about 1,120 km of existing single or intermediate lane national highways in three low income states - Bihar, Orissa and Rajasthan - and in less developed regions of two middle income states - Karnataka and West Bengal.
The NHIIP aims to improve the national highway network connectivity to less developed states and enhance institutional capacity of MoRTH to better manage the highway network.