The Grand Trunk Road (commonly abbreviated to GT Road) also formerly known as Uttarapatha, Shah Rah-e-Azam (Urdu: شاہراہ اعظم) ("great road") or Sadak-e-Azam or Badshahi Sadak is one of South Asia's oldest and longest major roads. For several centuries, it has linked the eastern and western regions of the Indian subcontinent, running from Bangladesh, across north India, into Peshawar in Pakistan up to Kabul, Afghanistan. It was initiated during Maurya Empire in 3rd century BCE and later renovated and extended in 16th century AD by Sher Shah Suri.