Longest Highways in India: The longest highway in India, according to the most recent data, is National Highway 44, or NH 44. The journey commences in Srinagar and concludes at Kanyakumari. National highways or motorways are crucial for the economic progress of every nation. National highway construction and maintenance in India is the responsibility of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), which serve as nodal agencies.
India is fortunate to possess an extensive network of highways that continues to expand. Such inquiries as “Which highway in India is the longest?” continue to preoccupy a considerable number of students. Which five highways are the longest in India? etc.
Furthermore, various entrance exams in India incorporate GK queries pertaining to state and national highways. This article provides valuable information on the longest state and national highways in India. Here is a list of the ten longest highways in India in 2024, with NH 44 being the longest.
Longest Highways in India
In order to proceed, we shall examine the ten longest highways in India, quantified in kilometers.
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National Highway 44 or NH 44—4,112 km
The 4,112 km long NH 44, also known as the lifeblood of India, is the result of the merger of seven already-existing national highways. It establishes a link between the northern Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir and the southernmost Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Beginning in Srinagar, the highway reaches its terminus in Kanyakumari. It was once the most extensive road in India.
Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana are the interconnected states.
Major cities connected include Srinagar, Pathankot, Ambala, Delhi, Faridabad, Mathura, Dholpur, Gwalior, Jhansi, Sagar, Nagpur, Kurnool, Hosur, Madurai, and Kanyakumari.
Jammu-Srinagar highway reopens for one-way traffic
2. National Highway 27 or NH 27 – 3507 Km
Overview of 3507 kilometers along National Highway 27, or NH 27, NH 27 is a segment of the renowned NS-EW Corridor of NHAI. Having passed NH 44, this highway is now the most extensive in India. It facilitated the connection between eastern and western India. Assam, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal are all traversed along the highway. It progresses from Silchar, Assam, via Porbandar, Gujarat. Highway maintenance is the responsibility of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).
Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, and Assam are the states that are interconnected.
Rajkot, Udaipur, Kota, Shivpuri, Jhansi, Kanpur, Lucknow, Ayodya, Gorakhpur, Darbhanga, Purnia, Siliguri, Guwahati, and Silchar are among the major cities that are connected.
3. National Highway 48 or NH 48 (Old NH 8) – 2807 Km
The 2807-kilometer National Highway 48, also known as NH 48 (Old NH 8), served as a vital link between two prominent metropolitan areas in India, namely Chennai and Delhi. Passing through several of the country’s most populous provinces and cities, it is among the busiest in India. In 2010, during the process of renaming all highways, it underwent a name change to National Highway 48, or NH 48.
The states of Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Karnataka are interconnected.
Ajmer, Udaipur, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Valsad, Mumbai, Pune, Kolhapur, Belagavi, Hubli, Bengaluru, Vellore, Kanchipuram, and Chennai are among the major cities that are connected.
4. National Highway 52 or NH 52 – 2317 Km
National Highway 52, formerly known as NH 17, commences at the intersection with National Highway 66 in Ankola, Karnataka, spanning a distance of 2317 kilometers. It ascends the Arebail Ghat in the Western Ghats before reaching the Sangrur Punjab. The highway is the result of the fusion of numerous Indian national highways.
Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh are the states that are linked.
This route connects major cities such as Hubli, Dhule, Aurangabad, Beed, Osmanabad, Sangrur, Dewas, Indore, Pithampur, Sendhwa, Shajapur, Shirpur, Jhalawar, Tonk, Hisar, Narwana, Churu, and Sikar.
5. National Highway 30 or NH 30 (Old NH 221) – 1,984.3 km
National Highway 30, also known as NH 30 (Old NH 221), spans a distance of 1,984.3 kilometers. It starts in the Sitargunj Mountains of Uttarakhand and finishes in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh. The highway serves as a vital link for several remote districts in Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, passing through them.
Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana are the interconnected states.
6. National Highway 6 (NH6): 1949 Km
An Overview of National Highway 6 (NH6): 1949 Km National Highway 6 links the northeastern regions of India. NH-6, previously known as former national highways 40, 44, 154, and 54, connects Meghalaya, Assam, and Mizoram via its route. It flows into the Indo-Myanmar border near Zokhawthar, connecting the states of Assam, Meghalaya, and Mizoram.
Connected are the following major cities: Jorbat, Shillong, Kolasib, Aizawl, Champai, and Zokhawthar.
7. National Highway 53 (NH 53) – 1795 Km
Overview of 1795 kilometers along National Highway 53 (NH 53) National Highway 54 connects the Indian states of Gujarat and Odisha. India classifies the road as AH46 and designates it to traverse Kolkata before reaching Surat. The Surat-Kolkata Highway is a widely recognized road. A number of significant cities are located along the highway that runs through Central India.
Odisha, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Chhattisgarh are the states that are linked.
Connected Major Cities: Deogarh, Paradip, Surat, Jalgaon, Nagpur, and Raipur Port
8. National Highway 16 (NH 16) (Old NH 5) – 1711 Km
National Highway 16 (NH 16) (Old NH 5): 1711 Km Overview Stretching along the eastern coast of India near the Bay of Bengal, National Highway 16 is a main thoroughfare. The highway serves as a vital link between the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu. This element has a significant impact on the Golden Quadrilateral initiative of the National Highways Development Project. Highways along the eastern coast of India connect a multitude of towns and cities.
Connected States: Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu
Major cities connected include Kolkata, Bhubaneshwar, Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Guntur, Nellore, and Chennai.
9. National Highway 66 (NH 66) (Old NH 17) – 1640 Km
National Highway 66 (NH 66) (Old NH 17)—1640 km Overview The National Highway 66, also known as NH 66, is a lengthy and congested road that runs along the south-western coast of India. The highway provides visitors with picturesque scenery as it winds through forests, hills, rivers, rivulets, and streams, among other features. It commences in Panvel, Maharashtra, and reaches Kanyakumari.
The states that are connected are Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Goa, and Karnataka.
Major cities connected include Kanyakumari, Ratnagiri, Panaji, Mangaluru, Udupi, Kochi, Kannur, and Thiruvananthapuram.
10. National Highway 19 (NH 19) (Old NH 20): 1435 Km
Overview of National Highway 19 (NH 19) (Old NH 20): 1435 km The national highway traverses India’s eastern and northern regions. It links the West Bengal metropolis of Kolkata with the Uttar Pradesh city of Agra. The highway in question comprises a significant segment of the historic Grand Trunk Road. Additionally, it is a segment of the Asian Highway Network’s AH1 that connects Japan and Turkey.
The states of West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand are interconnected.
Major cities connected include Burdwan, Asansol, Kanpur, Prayagraj, Varanasi, and Sasaram.
