+
Highway Ministry reaches 20% of April 2024 capital expenditure target
ROADS & HIGHWAYS

Highway Ministry reaches 20% of April 2024 capital expenditure target

Despite experiencing a slowdown in awarding projects during the second half of 2023, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (Morth) continued to prioritize front-loading capital expenditure, spending over Rs 545 billion on new highway construction in April this year.

In its monthly report to the Union Cabinet, the ministry reported that it had achieved 20.04 percent of its capital expenditure target with 11 months remaining.

The ministry has been proactive in early execution of capital expenditure, following a strategy set by the finance ministry to ensure infrastructure creation does not face excessive backlogs towards the end of the financial year.

Typically, ministries are expected to ensure that at least two-thirds of their capital expenditure is spent by the end of the second quarter. Although the highway ministry has consistently maintained double-digit percentage shares in capital expenditure in previous years, this is the first time it has begun a financial year having spent over Rs 500 billion.

Experts note that there is still a healthy pipeline of projects from the NHAI, and the impacts of the Bharatmala slowdown are expected to be more pronounced in FY26.

Additionally, the ministry had anticipated a decline in construction (and consequently capital expenditure) starting FY25 due to delays in the approval of the Revised Estimates of the Bharatmala project, which had seen a Rs 5 trillion increase in costs.

In November 2023, the ministry informed the cabinet that the shortfall in awards for the current year would affect construction progress in FY 2024-25.

Despite experiencing a slowdown in awarding projects during the second half of 2023, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (Morth) continued to prioritize front-loading capital expenditure, spending over Rs 545 billion on new highway construction in April this year. In its monthly report to the Union Cabinet, the ministry reported that it had achieved 20.04 percent of its capital expenditure target with 11 months remaining. The ministry has been proactive in early execution of capital expenditure, following a strategy set by the finance ministry to ensure infrastructure creation does not face excessive backlogs towards the end of the financial year. Typically, ministries are expected to ensure that at least two-thirds of their capital expenditure is spent by the end of the second quarter. Although the highway ministry has consistently maintained double-digit percentage shares in capital expenditure in previous years, this is the first time it has begun a financial year having spent over Rs 500 billion. Experts note that there is still a healthy pipeline of projects from the NHAI, and the impacts of the Bharatmala slowdown are expected to be more pronounced in FY26. Additionally, the ministry had anticipated a decline in construction (and consequently capital expenditure) starting FY25 due to delays in the approval of the Revised Estimates of the Bharatmala project, which had seen a Rs 5 trillion increase in costs. In November 2023, the ministry informed the cabinet that the shortfall in awards for the current year would affect construction progress in FY 2024-25.

Next Story
Infrastructure Energy

BMW Industries partners with IOCL for PNG supply at Bokaro plant

BMW Industries has entered into a strategic partnership with Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) for the supply of Piped Natural Gas (PNG), reinforcing its commitment to adopting cleaner and more efficient energy sources for its operations.The agreement was signed at the Eastern Region Pipelines (ERPL) headquarters in Kolkata. The partnership is expected to support the company’s upcoming manufacturing facility in Bokaro by facilitating the use of natural gas as a primary energy source.According to the company, the adoption of PNG will help enhance operational efficiency while also contributing to ..

Next Story
Real Estate

Bombay Realty Secures RERA for Three ICC Tower in South Mumbai

Bombay Realty, the real estate arm of Bombay Dyeing and part of the Wadia Group, has received Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) certification for Three ICC – Wing A, the latest luxury residential tower at Island City Center in Mumbai’s Dadar.The RERA registration marks a key milestone in the development timeline and reinforces the company’s focus on regulatory transparency, timely project delivery, and high construction standards.Following the success of One ICC and Two ICC, the upcoming Three ICC tower represents the next phase of the Island City Center development. The project ai..

Next Story
Infrastructure Energy

Flender launches India’s largest wind gearbox test rig in Walajabad

Flender has inaugurated a 13.5 MW wind turbine gearbox test rig at its Walajabad facility near Chennai, marking the largest installation of its kind in India. The new facility is expected to strengthen the company’s manufacturing and testing capabilities while supporting the growing demands of the wind power sector in both domestic and global markets.The test rig was inaugurated on March 5 in the presence of Andreas Evertz, Group CEO, Flender; Lars Wiegemann, Vice President Wind Gears, Flender; and Vinod Shetty, CEO, Flender India, along with key industry customers and stakeholders.The insta..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement