India’s ambitious infrastructure journey is powered not just by mega projects, but by the visionaries, innovators, and organisations who execute them with resilience and ingenuity. At the RAHSTA Awards 2025, held on September 4 in Mumbai as part of the India Construction Festival, these unsung champions of connectivity were honoured for their pioneering contributions to the roads, highways, and transport sectors. RAHSTA—an acronym for Roads and Highways Sustainable Technologies & Advancement—has established itself as a premier platform that celebrates innovation, sustainability, and technology in infrastructure. Organised by the First Construction Council, the awards brought together policymakers, industry leaders, contractors, and technology providers to spotlight achievements that are reshaping India’s mobility landscape. The afternoon began with a traditional lamp-lighting ceremony, setting a tone of optimism and purpose. Pratap Padode, Founder & President, First Construction Council, delivered the welcome address, underscoring the role of RAHSTA in expanding recognition within the infrastructure ecosystem. “The RAHSTA Awards add another dimension, shining a light on innovation, quality, and sustainability in the roads and highways sector. Together with the Equipment India Awards, they reflect the depth and diversity of India’s construction ecosystem,” he remarked. With over 1,40,000 units of construction equipment sold in FY2025, the industry is on a steady growth path. Yet, as Padode highlighted, challenges such as stricter emission norms, biofuel mandates, and data transparency remain pressing. He also called for skilling initiatives, manufacturing strength through schemes like PLI, and accelerated adoption of technology to secure the sector’s future. Honouring the best! Six awards were conferred this year, each narrating a story of innovation. Ammann India was recognised for its flagship ValueTec Asphalt Plant, which represents a benchmark in environmentally responsible road construction. By reducing emissions and optimising resource use, the plant stands as a testament to the growing emphasis on green infrastructure practices. Tata Steel’s Industrial By-Products Management Division bagged the Most Innovative Materials award for their pioneering use of Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS), branded Tata Dureco. By converting industrial by-products into high-performance construction material, Tata Steel reinforced the promise of a circular economy in heavy industries. Taking on the toughest challenges in road construction, Patel Infrastructure was honoured for successfully delivering the Cholopuram-Thanjavur highway project—a 47.8 km stretch that demanded precision execution in a difficult environment. Highway operations and maintenance often go unnoticed in the larger scheme of infrastructure delivery. INTERISE changed that narrative by bagging the award for Excellence in Project Management. With 17 projects covering 7,300 lane kilometres across eight states—supporting nearly 450,000 vehicles daily—INTERISE showcased how scientific O&M practices can revolutionise long-term infrastructure performance. Digital technology has become a defining force in infrastructure efficiency. Cube Highways won the Best Digital Technology Award for its twin platforms—Hi-RATE 2.0 for monitoring and managing highway assets, and Setu STHITI for highway structures. Welspun Enterprises won for its landmark Aunta-Simaria project in Bihar. The centrepiece of this project is India’s widest extradosed cable-stayed bridge across the Ganga—a marvel of engineering and a critical lifeline of connectivity. Accepting the honour, Sandeep Garg, Managing Director of Welspun Enterprises, said: “The Aunta-Simaria bridge is not just an engineering accomplishment—it is a lifeline across the Ganga, built to connect communities and drive economic growth. This honour recognises the resilience of our teams and the innovation that made this vision a reality.” The winners were chosen by a distinguished jury comprising leaders from across infrastructure finance, contracting, manufacturing, and consulting. Their collective expertise ensured that the awards were not only prestigious but also credible, reinforcing the RAHSTA Awards as an authentic benchmark of excellence. By honouring companies that push boundaries and redefine benchmarks, the RAHSTA Awards 2025 have not only celebrated achievement but also set a clear agenda for the future: an infrastructure sector that is modern, sustainable, and inclusive. The winners may have taken home trophies, but the real victory lies in the inspiration sparked for the entire industry to keep building better, safer, and greener roads for India. Winners of RAHSTA Awards 2025 Most Sustainable Road Construction Equipment Used Ammann India Most Innovative Materials Tata Steel Industrial By-Products Management Division Top Challenger Award Patel Infrastructure Excellence in Project Management INTERISE Best Digital Technology Award in Road Building Cube Highways and Transport Assets Advisors Excellence in Bridge Engineering Welspun Enterprises RAHSTA Awards Jury Members: Sanjay Saxena, Chief Operating Officer, Sany India Akhil Gupta, CEO & Executive Director, Shapoorji Pallonji Ketan Kulkarni, Deputy Managing Director, Allcargo Logistics Bharat Parekh, Executive Director, CLSA Vijay Agrawal, Managing Director, Equirus Capital Prashanta K Ganguly, Head OTR Business (Domestic Sales), BKT Tires Jagannarayan Padmanabhan, Director, CRISIL Infra Advisory Vishal Biraia, Fund Manager, Bandhan Infrastructure Fund Pawan Kant, Chief Executive Officer, Interise Investment Managers Nitin Gosar, Fund Manager, Bank of India Manufacturing & Infrastructure Fund Suneet Maheshwari, Founder and Managing Partner, Udvik Infrastructure Manish Mohan, Executive VP & Head – Infrastructure Finance, HDFC Bank BR Parthasarathy, Chief Operating Officer, Tata Consulting Engineers Sponsors for RAHSTA Awards: Presenting Partner: BKT Tires Equipment Partner: Tata Hitachi Construction Machinery Steel Partner: Elegant Steel Associate Partners: InnCircles and Shyam Steel