Indian construction companies are increasing their share of overseas earnings in order to diversify risks associated with domestic corruption, delays and competition. L&T, KEC International, Afcons and Tata Projects are expanding their international presence, particularly in the Middle East, Africa and the Americas. While assessing the financials of EPC companies, one can easily spot that those earning higher margins, while focused on road construction, obviously have to provide for margins for corruption, especially when undertaking state roads. The Dwarka Expressway has been built at an exorbitant cost of Rs 250 crore per km and even the CAG raised this issue in its report in 2023. At this cost of under Rs 250 crore, even a metro-rail elevated structure can be built, as was done in the case of Nagpur Metro. In Jharkhand, a greenfield six-lane highway cost Rs 34 crore per km. Even the Chandigarh-Kiratpur-Manali Highway with several bridges and tunnels has cost under Rs 40 crore per km. The six-lane 214 km Tharad-Ahmedabad High Speed Road Corridor in Gujarat, too, is being built at under Rs 50 crore per km.The road construction bounty has reached a flash point – quality versus cost. The road trajectory has already run its course and to expect it to reach 40 km or 50 km per day, as the Road Ministry is constantly announcing, is not likely to happen. In fact, MoRTH has not even declared its total road construction for the year (I had estimated this to be 10,421 km), although the minister has confirmed in Parliament that it has been 29 km per day for FY2024-25. Now, greater funds are being diverted for concretising roads or building interior roads by states as well as and larger access-controlled expressways by NHAI and for urban development. Maharashtra, among other states, has a robust road infrastructure plan and its projects are gathering speed after having delivered the Atal Setu, part of the Coastal Road, the Maha Samruddhi Marg, and some others. It is now extending the sea link to Versova and then to Bhayander and onwards. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis sought funds from the Finance Minister for a $1 billion proposal (about Rs 8,651 crore) to link villages with populations of 1,000 and above, through all-weather concrete roads, and also submitted a $ 2.6 billion (Rs 22,490 crore) proposal to the Union Rural Development Ministry for constructing 14,000 km of rural roads.  Other projects activated by Fadnavis include Shaktipeeth Expressway (Rs 86,300 crore), Virar-Alibaug corridor (Morbe–Karanja), Jalna–Nanded Expressway, Nagpur–Bhandara–Gondia Expressway, Nagpur–Chandrapur Expressway, Bhandara–Gadchiroli Expressway and Wadhwan-Igatpuri Expressway. A total of Rs 53,354 crore has been earmarked by the state government for land acquisition across 11 major infrastructure projects including these expressways and, specifically, Rs 12,000 crore has been allocated towards land acquisition for the Shaktipeeth Expressway.Urban renaissance is needed to keep powering urban centres which pull the weight of the rest of the rural economy. According to a World Bank report, India’s urban population, which is expected to almost double by 2050 to 951 million, will need more than 144 million new homes by 2070. But the danger of an overbuilt city is already raising temperatures and reducing its ability to absorb storm water, leaving it vulnerable to floods and thereby huge losses. This requires investing in more green and resilient urban development – including housing, transport and municipal services – where cities can better manage extreme heat conditions and urban floods and continue to provide employment. On September 3-4, 2025, at the 11th India Construction Festival, ASAPP Info Global Group and FIRST Construction Council will present the RAHSTA Expo, Conference and Awards, which  will be an ideal platform for road construction businesses and infrastructure policy makers. The 23rd Construction World Global Awards will recognise Top Contractors, Admired Brands and Wealth Creators, while the 20th Construction World Architect & Builder Awards will raise the curtain on India’s Top Architects and Builders.