evidence: Launched in March 2016, the Setu Bharatam programme aims to make all national highways free of railway level crossings by 2019. It involves the construction of 208 road overbridges (RoBs) and road underbridges (RuBs) across 19 states at a cost of Rs 208 billion. In addition, about 1,500 old bridges will be replaced or improved by widening in a phased manner at a cost of about Rs 300 billion. The need for the Setu Bharatam programme arose from the high risk posed by level crossings for Indian Railways, resulting in loss of life and property, limiting the line capacity of tracks, and increasing the operations and maintenance cost. Further, around 5 per cent of the trains are delayed on account of the presence of level crossings. Earlier, in 2012, the High-Level Safety Review Committee appointed by the Ministry of Railways (MoR) had strongly recommended the elimination of all level crossings, both manned and unmanned, over a period of five years. The committee was of the belief that the amount thus spent would be recovered within seven to eight years through savings in maintenance costs and improved train operations. [...] The successful implementation of Setu Bharatam requires a streamlined decision making process and an efficient project management system. The programme will address the safety concerns arising from the presence of level crossings in the country and thereby eliminate the loss of life and property resulting from the same. It will also pave the way for reduction in maintenance costs and bring about efficiency in railway operations.