Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Sunday that the government would target construction of 17,000km of roads over the next two years, a goal that looks ambitious given the current pace. Against the target of awarding contracts for construction of 9,500km during the current financial year, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has managed to bid out only 600km during April-October — which is a shade over 6% of the annual target fixed by Singh himself.