Previous Year Question
Which of the following States ranks first in India in length of roads?
Maharashtra
Uttar Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Rajasthan
Correct Answer: A
Detailed Solution
According to the official Basic Road Statistics of India 2015-16 of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, as on 31 March 2016, Maharashtra had a total road network of about 613,418 km, the highest among all Indian States. Uttar Pradesh followed with about 422,412 km.
As on 31 March 2018, Maharashtra had about 626,491 km of total roads, accounting for approximately 11.79% of India's total road length. Uttar Pradesh was second with about 425,420 km.
An important distinction is that the question asks about total road length. It should not be confused with the length of National Highways alone, State Highways alone or road density; rankings can differ depending on the category used.
For example, as on 31 March 2016, Maharashtra also ranked first in the length of State Highways, with approximately 39,000 km.