India is expanding quickly and constructing a strong infrastructure, including the longest roads in India, to link its many regions. New highways are being built quickly. These highways connect large cities. Since the longest national highways link India’s eastern, western, southern, and northern regions, they have evolved into the backbone of the country’s road system.
These highways connect both small and large cities. In addition, they facilitate quick and simple travel. Hence, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), which oversees this road network from building to upkeep, deserves all the credit for this.
When it comes to a nation’s infrastructure development, national highways are crucial. There are numerous national highways in India. India has approximately 599 national highways, which have a combined length of 1,46,145 km. Further, these highways have improved the mobility of people and the transit of commodities throughout the nation.
In this article, we will look into the details of the longest highways in India and their features. We will also provide the top 10 national highways in India.
What are the Longest Highways in India?
The longest national highway in India is NH 44. National Highway 7 was the previous name of National Highway 44 (NH 44). The North-South Corridor of the NHDP is covered by NH 44 in India, which is 3,745 km long. It finishes at Kanyakumari in the south and begins in Srinagar in the north, thus making it the longest NH in India. Seven significant national highways with previous numbers: NH 1A, NH 1, NH 2, NH 3, NH 75, NH 26, and NH 7, were combined to form the NH 44 route.
1. Important National Highways in India List
An overview of the longest roads in India is provided in this table, along with the new names given to these top highways in India. The figure also shows the overall length of the longest highways in India in each state, highlighting their importance in forming the country’s extensive road network.
Let’s examine the information below to learn more about the longest highways in India as well as how it has changed across the nation’s many regions.
| List of National Highways in India 2025 | ||
|---|---|---|
| States/UTs | Old National Highway Number | New National Highway Number |
| Jammu & Kashmir | NH 1 A and NH 1 D | NH 1 BNH 244 |
| Bihar, Delhi, Haryana, Jharkhand, UP, WB | NH 2 | NH 19 (Golden Quadrilateral) |
| Uttar Pradesh | NH 2A | NH 519 |
| West Bengal | NH 2B | NH 114 |
| Maharashtra | NH 3 | NH 50 |
| Andaman & Nicobar Islands | NH 223 | NH 4 |
| Goa, Karnataka | NH 4 A | NH 748 |
| Maharashtra | NH 4 B | NH 348 |
| AP, Odisha, TN, WB | NH 5 | NH 16 (Golden Quadrilateral) |
| Madhya Pradesh, UP | NH 12 | NH 45 |
| Tamil Nadu | NH 7 A | NH 138 |
| Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, KA, MH, RJ, TN | NH 8 | NH 48 (Golden Quadrilateral) |
| Gujarat | NH 41NH 147 | NH 151 |
| AP, MH, KA, Telangana | NH 9 | NH 65 |
| Rajasthan, UP | NH 11 | NH 21 |
| Rajasthan | NH 11 A | NH 148 |
| MP, Chhattisgarh | NH 12 | NH 45 |
| AP, TN | NH 18NH4 | NH 40 |
| Haryana, Chandigarh, HP, Punjab | NH 21NH 5 | NH 22NH 95 |
| West Bengal | NH 35 | NH 112 |
| Bihar | NH 30 | NH 319 |
| UP | NH 24 | NH 530 |
| Jharkhand | NH 23 | NH 320 |
| West Bengal | NH 55 | NH 110 |
| Kerala | NH 47 ANH 47 C | NH 966 BNH 966 A |
| Kerala, TN | NH 47 | NH 544 |
| Assam, Nagaland | NH 39 | NH 129 |
| Assam, Arunachal Pradesh | NH 38 & NH 153 | NH 315 |
| Assam | NH 152 | NH 127 A |
| Rajasthan | NH 79 | NH 156 |
| UP | NH 56 | NH 731 |
2. Top 10 Longest Highways in India
As is well known, India has more than 200 national highways. The top 10 national highways in India, together with the cities and their distances, are shown in the table below:
| 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 |
3. Longest Highways in India: State-Wise
There are 599 national highways in India. Furthermore, they are the mainstay of the nation’s transport network, acting as essential conduits that enable the flow of people, products, and services over great distances. Another key point is that the length of India’s national highways varies greatly, reflecting the various infrastructure needs and connectivity issues that each region has. This is because every state has distinct geographical characteristics and developmental requirements.
In the information below is the list of the top highways in India, explicitely State-wise:
| State-wise Length of National Highways in India | |
|---|---|
| States | Length (in km) |
| Andhra Pradesh | 6529.5 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 2537.4 |
| Assam | 3908.5 |
| Bihar | 5030.6 |
| Chhattisgarh | 3605.8 |
| Goa | 292.9 |
| Gujarat | 6635 |
| Haryana | 3097.6 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 2606.9 |
| Jharkhand | 3366.8 |
| Karnataka | 7334.8 |
| Kerala | 1781.6 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 8772.3 |
| Maharashtra | 17756.6 |
| Manipur | 1750.3 |
| Meghalaya | 1155.6 |
| Mizoram | 1422.5 |
| Nagaland | 1547.7 |
| Odisha | 5761.5 |
| Punjab | 3769.5 |
| Rajasthan | 9988.8 |
| Sikkim | 463 |
| Tamil Nadu | 6741.5 |
| Telangana | 3795.5 |
| Tripura | 8 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 11736.8 |
| Uttarakhand | 2949.3 |
| West Bengal | 3664.5 |
4. Longest Highways in India: Map
Significantly, India’s national highways serve as the mainstay of the nation’s road transport system, spanning great distances between important cities, towns, and industrial hubs. These well-maintained longest roads in India, which span thousands of km, guarantee the smooth flow of people and commodities, supporting India’s overall infrastructure and advancing its growth.
Furthermore, national Highways are important roads in India that help reduce travel times, costs, and fuel use. Moreover, they connect people and places, promoting unity across the country. In addition, these top highways in India are important for the nation’s growth and show the government’s commitment to improving access and connectivity for all citizens. Below is a map of India’s national highways.

5. Longest Highways in India: NH 44 India
The National Highway 44 (NH 44) is India’s longest roadway, running 3,745 km from Srinagar to Kanyakumari. Further, as urban areas expanded, communities along the highway grew quickly. This growth led to many new neighbourhoods near the NH 44 in India.
The picture below shows the map of NH 44, India:

6. Longest Highways in India: The Golden Quadrilateral (GQ)
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is the apex body of India’s national highways. Additionally, it comprises a system of trunk roads and other roads. Coupled with the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL), and the state governments’ public works departments (PWD) are in charge of its construction and administration. As of April 2019, India had 142,126 km (88,313 mi) of national highways. Furthermore, from north to south and east to west, all of India’s major cities are connected by national highways.
Another key point to mention is that the Golden Quadrilateral (GQ) is in India. The GQ national highway network connects India’s key economic, agricultural, and cultural hubs. Further, the four main Indian metropolises —Delhi (north), Kolkata (east), Mumbai (west), and Chennai (south) —are connected by it in a quadrilateral.
Some Facts About the Longest Highways in India
- It’s important to know that India has the world’s second-largest road network.
- The total length of the more than 200 national highways is 101,011 kilometres. India’s state highways total 1,31,899 kilometres in length.
- Further, all highways with three-digit numbers are technically branches of the main highway, which has a two-digit number.
- As an illustration, highway number 144 is a subsidiary branch of highway number 44. These are further subdivided and given names that include a suffixed alphabet, such as 244A, 144A, and so on.
- Just 1.8% of all Indian roads are national highways. However, they have 40% of the nation’s traffic on the roads.
- National Highway Colours:
- National highways are identified by their yellow and white colours.
- State highways are shown in green and white.
- The city highway is in black and white.
- The shortest national highways in India are NH 118 and NH 548. In the state of Jharkhand, NH 118 runs a mere 5 km between the towns of Asanbani and Jamshedpur. However, the NH 548 travels roughly 5 km in the state of Maharashtra.
- The Leh-Manali Highway, which links Leh in Jammu & Kashmir with Shimla in Himachal Pradesh, is the second-highest motorway in the world.
Conclusion
In essence, India’s national highways connect different parts of the country, moving people, goods, and ideas from the sunny coastlines to the snowy north. The longest highways in India are more than just numbers; they are important routes for trade and travel. These highways play a key role in connecting regions and boosting the economy, whether you are driving on them or enjoying the beautiful scenery.
Frequently Asked Questions
As of 2023, India has 599 National Highways totalling around 1,46,145 kilometres, essential for transportation and connectivity.
NH 44 is the longest National Highway in India.
NH 44 is the longest National Highway in India, running from Jammu and Kashmir to Kanyakumari, crossing 11 states.
NH 966 B is India’s shortest National Highway, only 8 km long in Kochi, Kerala.
NH 7 is the old name of the longest National Highway in India.
The Golden Quadrilateral is a highway network connecting Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Chennai, improving urban connectivity.
India has the world’s second-largest road network, vital for transportation and economic growth.
National Highways: Yellow and white colour
State Highways: Green and white colour
City Highway: Black and white colour
India had a total of 599 National Highways, covering a length of approximately 1,46,145 km.





