Steel-based construction can play a transformative role in addressing India's urbanisation challenges by enabling faster project execution, sustainable development and efficient land utilisation, experts said during a panel discussion at the NAREDCO Real Estate Conclave 2026 held at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi.

The session, titled “Urbanization by Leveraging Steel Structure Based Building Design and Architecture”, brought together experts from the steel, architecture and construction sectors, who highlighted the need to accelerate the adoption of steel structures to support India's rapidly expanding urban centres.

Speaking at the session, Shri Prasad Sawant, CTO, JSW Severfield Structures, said steel and off-site fabricated construction solutions are emerging as a key answer to India's future urban development needs. He noted that as cities continue to expand vertically due to limited land availability, steel-based construction offers significant advantages in terms of speed, efficiency and scalability. He also pointed to the declining availability of unskilled construction labour, which is expected to make steel and precast construction methods increasingly important in the coming years.

Shri Gian P. Mathur, Founder and Managing Director, GPM Architects & Planners, said the future of urban development lies in building higher and smarter. According to him, steel structures help reduce site congestion, minimise material wastage and improve overall project efficiency. While steel is often considered more expensive than conventional concrete construction, he noted that lifecycle benefits, faster completion and quicker utilisation offer compelling economic advantages.

Highlighting steel’s role in addressing urban space constraints, Shri Anil Arora, Executive Director (Marketing Services), Steel Authority of India (SAIL), said steel can enable better space utilisation through high-rise developments, vertical warehousing and multi-level parking infrastructure. He added that steel construction offers unmatched speed and scalability and can contribute significantly to meeting rising urban infrastructure requirements. He acknowledged challenges related to skilled manpower, design capabilities and initial project costs but emphasised that wider adoption would help cities use limited land resources more efficiently.

Shri P. K. Mishra, Director General, Institute for Steel Development & Growth (INSDAG), stressed the need for stronger policy support and greater awareness of steel technologies. He observed that limited exposure to steel design within engineering education has resulted in a shortage of professionals trained in steel-based construction. He advocated lifecycle cost-based assessments of infrastructure projects and called for government-led initiatives to create a stronger ecosystem for steel usage. He added that steel and concrete should be viewed as complementary materials, depending on project requirements and long-term performance considerations.

Moderating the discussion, Shri Alok Sahay, Secretary General, Indian Steel Association, said steel has evolved beyond being merely a construction material and is now a key enabler of sustainable urbanisation, modern infrastructure and architectural innovation. He highlighted its advantages, including high strength-to-weight ratio, design flexibility, seismic resilience, recyclability and shorter construction timelines.

Drawing lessons from international best practices, Shri Sahay noted that countries such as Japan have developed robust standards, certification systems and educational frameworks to support widespread steel adoption. He stressed the need for India to strengthen design codes, expand steel-focused engineering education and create a larger network of certified fabricators and skilled professionals.

The panel also recommended the formation of a multi-stakeholder expert group comprising government agencies, steel producers, construction companies, educational institutions and standards bodies to identify measures for accelerating steel adoption in India’s construction sector.

The session concluded with a consensus that steel-based construction can become a cornerstone of India’s next phase of urban development, helping create smarter, greener and more resilient cities.