10 Types Urban and Non-Urban Roads in India | Indian Roads Classification

This article will guide you through all the major 10 types of roads in India with their detailed classification and examples.

Roads in India are divided into rural (non-urban) and urban roads, with national highways, state highways, expressways, village roads, and so on.

The following are the 10 different types of roads:

Non-urban highways connect cities and towns across the country and are referred to as rural roads or non-urban roads. The IRC categorization of roads is another name for this classification.

Non-urban highways in India are divided into five groups as follows.

a) Interstate Highways (N.H)
b) State Routes (S.H)
c) Major Roads in the District (M.D.R)
d) Additional District Roads (O.D.R)
e) Roads in the Village

a) Interstate Highways (N.H)

The primary route that runs the length and breadth of the country is known as the national highway. They link-state capitals, ports, significant towns, industrial centres, and international routes.

These highways are the country’s principal thoroughfares for road travel. These are vital to the country’s strategic, administrative, and other objectives. N.H-34 and N.H-31 are two examples.

b) State Routes (S.H)

These are the primary thoroughfares of a state’s traffic. They connect the state’s major cities and district offices. Provincial Highways are another name for them. The main arteries of vehicle transit inside a state are these highways.
S.H-7 is an example.

c) Major Roads in the District (M.D.R)

Major District Roads are key roads within a district that serve areas of production and markets and connect them to one another or to major highways.

d) Additional District Roads (O.D.R)

Other District Roads are routes that serve rural areas of production and connect them to market centres, taluk headquarters, block headquarters, or other significant roads.

e) Roads in the Village

Village roads are roadways that connect villages or clusters of villages to each other or to the next road of a higher grade.

Urban Roads Classification

Urban roads are the road systems that run through cities. Urban highways in India are divided into the following categories:

i) Interstate highways
ii) Arterial Roads
iii) Sub-arterial Roads
iv) Collector Streets
v) Local Streets

i) Interstate highways

The segment of a city road dedicated for high-speed or power-driven vehicles is referred to as an expressway, motorway, or superhighway.

ii) Arterial Roads

These are streets that are designed to handle heavy traffic on a continuous course. The mobility of traffic on arterials is higher.

iii) Sub-arterial Roads

These highways fulfil the same goals as arterial roads, but with a lesser volume of traffic.

iv) Collector Streets

Collector Streets connect arterial roads and collect and disperse traffic from and to smaller streets.

v) Local Streets

Access to the surrounding property is provided by local streets. There isn’t a lot of traffic on these streets.