evidence: The Bharatmala Pariyojana was thus launched in 2017, with an overarching corridor-approach, to optimise the efficiency of already built infrastructure, enable multimodal integration, bridge infrastructural gaps for a more seamless freight and passenger movement across the country and integrate National and Economic Corridors. [...] Under the BharatMala project, approved for an estimated cost of Rs 6,92,324 crore (including other ongoing schemes), about 65,000 km of National Highways are to be constructed in two phases. A total of around 24,800 km is being developed in Phase-1 of the Bharatmala Pariyojana, as approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) in October 2017, and was to be implemented over a five-year period, that is, 2017-18 to 2021-22. The Phase-1 also includes the construction of 10,000 km of balance road works under NHDP, taking the total length of road development under the first phase to 34,800 km, at an estimated outlay of Rs 5,35,000 crore. Bharatmala Pariyojana Phase-1 is expected to generate roughly 14.2 crore man-days of employment during the construction phase, and the increased level of economic activities, enabled by the development of Economic Corridor network shall lead to the generation of about 22 million permanent jobs. As of December 2021, a total of 574 road projects with an aggregate length of 19,926 km, and costing Rs 5.98 lakh crore were approved under Phase-1 of the program. Of this, road length of 6,976 km has already been completed. This corresponds to 35 per cent of the approved project length.