Can India build 50 km a day?

31 Oct 2022 CW Team

India is home to the world's second-largest road network. In the next five years, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) wants to complete 60,000 km of NH at an average daily construction rate of 40 km. Clearly, we need to pull up our socks to achieve this. Moreover, the target now is to attain 50 km a day. With an average construction cost of about Rs 30 crore per kilometre (including land acquisition costs) and a conservative inflation rate of 3 per cent for road-building costs, the total funding requirement over five years to attain this target will entail a good deal of investment from the Government.

That said, Anshumali Srivastava, Chief General Manager – Mumbai, National Highways Authority of India(NHAI), believes we are pretty much on track as far as investments are concerned. “Road investment is increasing year on year [YoY]. In 2022-23, roads have seen the highest ever investments with Rs 2.15 lakh crore. Moreover, the banks have taken an interest in the sector. Due to InvITs, funding is easily available. Further, the National Infrastructure Pipeline [NIP] has been laid out for the next five years, which provides assurance to the market.”

Cyclones, the monsoon and the secondary effect of COVID-19 did affect the pace of land acquisition because of which road construction has slowed down.But the construction of four, six and eight-lane National Highways has shot up by 300 per cent in the past seven years. So, despite the appalling effect of the pandemic, getting back to building 50km per day is not a far-fetched idea.

Keeping in mind that land acquisition continues to remain a key challenge,the Government has decided not to award any contracts until 80 per cent of land acquisition is already complete. Moreover, a good deal of political will is also getting things done.

To read the full article, CLICK HERE.

From a record 37 km per day in 2020-21, the pace of National Highway construction slowed to 20.43 km a day during the first four months of 2022. Considering this, it is natural to question the feasibility of the Indian Government’s plan to augment the pace of construction to 50km a day.CW takes a closer look… India is home to the world's second-largest road network. In the next five years, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) wants to complete 60,000 km of NH at an average daily construction rate of 40 km. Clearly, we need to pull up our socks to achieve this. Moreover, the target now is to attain 50 km a day. With an average construction cost of about Rs 30 crore per kilometre (including land acquisition costs) and a conservative inflation rate of 3 per cent for road-building costs, the total funding requirement over five years to attain this target will entail a good deal of investment from the Government. That said, Anshumali Srivastava, Chief General Manager – Mumbai, National Highways Authority of India(NHAI), believes we are pretty much on track as far as investments are concerned. “Road investment is increasing year on year [YoY]. In 2022-23, roads have seen the highest ever investments with Rs 2.15 lakh crore. Moreover, the banks have taken an interest in the sector. Due to InvITs, funding is easily available. Further, the National Infrastructure Pipeline [NIP] has been laid out for the next five years, which provides assurance to the market.” Cyclones, the monsoon and the secondary effect of COVID-19 did affect the pace of land acquisition because of which road construction has slowed down.But the construction of four, six and eight-lane National Highways has shot up by 300 per cent in the past seven years. So, despite the appalling effect of the pandemic, getting back to building 50km per day is not a far-fetched idea. Keeping in mind that land acquisition continues to remain a key challenge,the Government has decided not to award any contracts until 80 per cent of land acquisition is already complete. Moreover, a good deal of political will is also getting things done. To read the full article, CLICK HERE.

Infrastructure Urban

06 Apr 2026

InsideFPV Delivers ₹10 Crore Kamikaze Drone Order Under MoD’s EPR Route

InsideFPV, a Surat-based drone technology manufacturer, has successfully executed a ₹10 crore defence contract to supply indigenous kamikaze drones under the Ministry of Defence’s Emergency Procurement Route (EPR). The company completed the delivery of hundreds of FPV kamikaze drone platforms within a rapid two-month timeframe, highlighting its ability to meet urgent military procurement timelines.The supply orders were fulfilled under the emergency procurement mechanism, which is aimed at fast-tracking acquisitions for immediate operational needs. InsideFPV’s quick execution reflects it..

Infrastructure Energy

06 Apr 2026

Vedanta Resources Secures Fitch Upgrade to ‘BB-’, Best Rating Since 2015

Vedanta Resources Limited (VRL), a global player in metals, oil & gas, critical minerals, power and technology, has received a credit rating upgrade from Fitch Ratings, marking its strongest bond rating in over a decade.Fitch has raised Vedanta Resources’ Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to ‘BB-’ from ‘B+’, while maintaining a Stable Outlook. The agency also upgraded VRL’s senior unsecured rating, along with the ratings of US dollar-denominated bonds issued by Vedanta Resources Finance II Plc and guaranteed by VRL, to ‘BB-’.The upgrade represents Vedan..

Real Estate

06 Apr 2026

NAREDCO NextGen NCR Chapter Launched

The NAREDCO NextGen NCR Chapter was recently launched at Excelerate 2026 in Mumbai, marking a key step towards integrating emerging real estate leaders from the National Capital Region with the national platform. The initiative aims to promote sustainable and responsible urban development through collaboration and knowledge exchange.The event brought together young developers, entrepreneurs, and professionals from across NCR, including Noida, Gurugram, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Bhiwadi, and Meerut. Discussions focused on urban development, finance, sustainability, innovation, and policy, emphasisi..