Mumbai Metro Line 3 is all set to start,” said Ashwini Bhide, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra and Managing Director, Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC), during her fireside chat with Pratap Padode, Founder, ASAPP Info Global Group & Author of Tarmac to Towers – India’s Infrastructure Story at the 23rd Construction World Global Awards (CWGA) 2025. Her announcement and the journey that she elaborated in course of completing this project, struck a chord with the audience, resonating with what Dr Sanjay Mukherjee, Commissioner of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), had earlier articulated in his keynote address of the RAHSTA Conference: that Mumbai’s transformation was not just about megaprojects, but also about delivering them sustainably and ahead of schedule.Mukherjee highlighted the timely execution of the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), completed nine months ahead of schedule (excluding the COVID period). “The project, once debated, has today enriched the environment: flamingo numbers have risen, aquatic life is thriving, and JICA now showcases it globally as a model of India–Japan cooperation,” he said, underscoring MMRDA’s commitment to safe, sustainable infrastructure.Looking ahead, Bhide painted a larger picture of Mumbai’s growth trajectory. “Over the next five years, Mumbai is set to undergo a multi-billion-dollar transformation. We have already prepared a Growth Hub Plan for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, with the ambitious target of achieving a USD one trillion economy by 2030 and USD five trillion by 2047. To reach this milestone, key projects have been identified, along with the policy changes required to support them. At the heart of this transformation lies infrastructure,” she said, reaffirming infrastructure as the anchor of economic progress.Against this backdrop of ambitious urban renewal, CWGA 2025 celebrated leaders steering India’s infrastructure story. The most anticipated honours went to Ashwini Bhide (Public Sector) and Jayanta Basu, MD, ITD Cementation India (Private Sector), named Construction World Persons of the Year for their role in shaping the country’s transformative growth. K Subramanian, Chairman of Afcons, received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his enduring contribution to India’s infrastructure landscape.Padode, Founder, ASAPP Info Global Group and Editor-in-Chief, Construction World, called on the industry to move “beyond being contractors to creators—of unique skillsets, proprietary technologies, and niche capabilities.” He also spotlighted the concurrent RAHSTA Expo, showcasing cutting-edge innovations across roads and highways, with more than 100 exhibitors displaying construction equipment, geotextiles, crash barriers, and geospatial technologies.Adding depth to the festival, the day also featured the Japan-India Road Engineering Seminar, where Praveensingh Pardeshi, Chief Economic Advisor to the Chief Minister of Maharashtra and CEO, MITRA, addressed the audience on future-ready policies and collaboration.Celebrating India’s BuildersThe CWGA rankings spotlighted excellence across categories, reaffirming Larsen & Toubro as the Largest & Most Profitable Company, while NCC, Kalpataru Projects International, and Afcons Infrastructure dominated the ultra-large category. ITD Cementation, HG Infra, and Dineshchandra R Agrawal Infracon topped the large segment, while Ceigall and Varindera Constructions made their mark among mid-sized firms. New-York based Engineering News-Record magazine editor Bryan Gottlieb also presented the recognition trophies to global design engineering companies listed on ENR magazine, at the event.Part of the India Construction Festival (ICF), the awards came alive within a larger ecosystem of dialogue and discovery. The 11th ICF also hosted the 15th RAHSTA Expo & Conference and the 2nd National Summit on CIRP in Infrastructure and Real Estate Business, bringing together policymakers, financiers, builders, and technology leaders. Discussions ranged from financing models for road projects to digital technologies, insolvency frameworks, and strategies for building a connected, future-ready India.With over 150 exhibitors and 8,000 visitors, the festival provided a 360-degree view of India’s road construction sector with various segments of road construction thriving as the infrastructure agenda remains on track.