National highways are vital to India’s road network, linking the northern, southern, eastern, and western regions of the country. Managed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), these highways are crucial for developing infrastructure, facilitating trade, and improving connectivity across vast distances.
Of India’s many national highways, the top 10 longest highways are particularly important. The longest of these is National Highway 44 (NH 44), formerly known as National Highway 7. Spanning 3,745 kilometers, NH 44 is a major part of the National Highway Development Project’s (NHDP) North-South Corridor. It starts from Srinagar in the north and extends to Kanyakumari in the south, effectively connecting the length of the country. NH 44 is constructed by merging several major highways, including NH 1A, NH 1, NH 2, NH 3, NH 75, NH 26, and NH 7. This extensive highway network plays a vital role in promoting economic growth and enhancing connectivity across India.
Longest National Highways in India
As we know there are more than 200 national highways in India. Here are presented to you the top 11 national highways in India, the cities they connect and their distance.
| S. No | National Highway | Distance (in km) | Route |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NH 44 (old NH 7) | 3,745 | Srinagar to Kanyakumari |
| 2 | NH 27 | 3,507 | Porbandar in Gujarat to Silchar in Assam |
| 3 | NH 48 (old NH 8) | 2,807 | Delhi to Chennai |
| 4 | NH 52 | 2,317 | Sangrur, Punjab to Ankola, Karnataka |
| 5 | NH 30 (Old NH 221) | 2,040 | Sitarganj in Uttarakhand to Ibrahimpatnam in Andhra Pradesh. |
| 6 | NH 6 | 1,873 | Jorabat in Meghalaya and terminates at Selling in Mizoram |
| 7 | NH 53 | 1,781 | Hajira in Gujarat and Pradip port in Odisha. |
| 8 | NH 16 (Old NH 5) | 1,711 | East coast of West Bengal to Chennai in Tamil Nadu. |
| 9 | NH 66 (Old NH 17) | 1,622 | Panvel and terminates at Kanyakumari |
| 10 | NH 19 (Old NH 20) | 1,435 | Delhi to Kolkata |
| 11 | NH 34 | 1,426 | Gangotri Dham in Uttarakhand to Lakhnadon in Madhya Pradesh |
Longest Highway in India
India’s National Highways, overseen by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and managed by entities like the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and state public works departments, form a vast network of trunk roads. As of April 2019, this network spans 142,126 kilometers, connecting major cities across the country.
One of the most significant networks is the Golden Quadrilateral (GQ), which links India’s four major metropolitan areas: Delhi (north), Kolkata (east), Mumbai (west), and Chennai (south). This network is crucial for integrating India’s industrial, agricultural, and cultural hubs.
The longest National Highway in India is NH 44, formerly NH 7, which extends 3,745 kilometers from Srinagar in the north to Kanyakumari in the south. NH 44 is a key component of the North-South Corridor and was established by merging several old highways, including NH 1A, NH 1, NH 2, NH 3, NH 75, NH 26, and NH 7.
Key Facts:
- India has the second-largest road network globally, with over 200 national highways totaling 101,011 kilometers.
- National highways make up only 1.8% of all roads in India but handle 40% of the country’s road traffic.
- National highways are marked in yellow and white, state highways in green and white, and city highways in black and white.
- NH 118 and NH 548 are the shortest national highways, each only about 5 kilometers long.
- The Leh-Manali Highway is notable as the world’s second-highest-altitude motorable road, connecting Shimla to Leh.
This network not only facilitates connectivity but also supports economic activities across diverse regions of India.
