Understanding the Setu Bharatam Programme on National Highways

The Setu Bharatam Programme is a significant initiative launched by the Government of India focusing on improving the infrastructure of national highways across the country. The main objective is to ensure safe and seamless travel.

Purpose of Setu Bharatam Programme

The primary goal of the Setu Bharatam Programme is to make national highways free from railway level crossings by constructing Rail Over Bridges (ROBs) or Rail Under Bridges (RUBs). This reduces accidents caused by railway crossings and improves traffic flow.

Another key aspect of the programme is the repair and reconstruction of existing bridges on national highways that are old or structurally deficient. This ensures the safety and longevity of the bridge infrastructure.

Analyzing the Options

Let's look at the given options in the context of the Setu Bharatam Programme:

• Option 1: Building bridges across major rivers for transport of goods. While building bridges is part of infrastructure development, the Setu Bharatam Programme specifically targets railway crossings and existing bridges on national highways, not exclusively bridges across major rivers for general transport of goods.
• Option 2: Building bridges for safe and seamless travel on national highways. This option accurately describes the core purpose of the Setu Bharatam Programme, which is focused on eliminating railway level crossings and improving existing bridges on national highways to enhance safety and ensure smooth traffic flow.
• Option 3: Building roads to connect coastal areas. This describes a different type of infrastructure project, possibly related to coastal highways or port connectivity, but not the specific mandate of the Setu Bharatam Programme.
• Option 4: Training of highway engineers at the entry level and service level. Training engineers is crucial for infrastructure development but is not the direct objective of the Setu Bharatam Programme, which is focused on physical bridge construction and rehabilitation.

Based on the objectives of the Setu Bharatam Programme, the option that best describes its purpose is building bridges for safe and seamless travel on national highways.

Key Features of the Programme

• Construction of ROBs/RUBs at railway level crossings on National Highways.
• Rehabilitation and strengthening of old and dilapidated bridges on National Highways.
• Aims to make all National Highways railway level crossing free by 2019 (original target, though implementation continues).
• Focuses on enhancing safety and efficiency of road transport.

Revision Table: Setu Bharatam Programme

Additional Information: Infrastructure Schemes

The Setu Bharatam Programme is one of several initiatives by the Indian government to boost infrastructure. Other notable schemes include:

• Bharatmala Pariyojana: A large-scale umbrella program for highways sector, focusing on improving connectivity, including economic corridors, inter-corridor efficiency, national corridors, and expressways.
• Sagarmala Programme: Focused on port-led development along India's coastline, aiming to enhance port infrastructure and connectivity.
• National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP): A government initiative to boost infrastructure development across various sectors like energy, roads, railways, etc., over a specified period.

These programmes collectively aim to build robust and efficient transport networks across India, contributing to economic growth and ease of travel.