The long-term national road development program known as the Bombay Road Plan (formulated around August 1958) covered what total planning period?

Introduction / Context:India’s road development evolved through sequential long-term plans. After the Nagpur Plan, the Bombay Road Plan set ambitious targets for national, state, and rural roads. Understanding the duration of each plan is a staple exam topic in transportation engineering.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Plan name: Bombay Road Plan.
• Formulation period: around August 1958, with implementation widely referenced as 1961–1981.

Concept / Approach:Both the Nagpur (20-year) and Bombay (20-year) plans framed network expansion over two decades. The Bombay Plan is commonly cited for a 20-year horizon (1961–1981) even though the formulation discussions began earlier.

Step-by-Step Solution:Recall plan durations from standard syllabi.Select 20 years for the Bombay Road Plan.

Verification / Alternative check:Multiple exam prep texts and historical summaries attribute a 20-year period to the Bombay Plan.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• 5, 10, 15, 25 years: do not match the canonical 20-year planning horizon.

Common Pitfalls:Confusing plan formulation year with execution window; mixing figures from the later Lucknow Plan.

Final Answer:20 years