Nitin Gadkari Highlights ₹5 Lakh-Cr Expressway Projects, Pushes for Sustainable Growth

Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari, set the tone at the India Infrastructure Summit 2025 hosted by the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC), by underlining the government’s commitment to sustainable and world-class infrastructure. “Infrastructure is the backbone of a nation’s growth, and India has made tremendous progress in this field. Road infrastructure today is the fastest-growing sector in the country, with 25 Greenfield Expressways spanning 10,000 kilometres under development at an investment of ₹5 lakh crore. We are innovating by using city waste in road construction and promoting green fuels, electric vehicles, and the scrapping policy. Our vision is clear: development and paryavaran must go hand in hand. Guided by the three Ps—People, Prosperity, and Planet—we aim to build a safe, green, and globally competitive India,” Gadkari said in his keynote address.

Reinforcing India’s infrastructure push, the Union Budget 2024–25 allocated ₹2.85 lakh crore (US$ 34.5 billion) to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, reflecting the government’s focus on achieving the $5 trillion economy vision.

The summit also featured a plenary session on Recent Trends, New Focus Areas, and Future Strategies, where Sunil Jindal, Chief General Manager (Technical), National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), highlighted transformative achievements: “Over the past decade, NHAI’s spending has risen sevenfold, construction pace has accelerated to 35 km per day, and more than 50,000 km of highways and 830 projects have been completed. With another 15,000 km and 460 projects in progress, our focus is equally on sustainability, safety, and efficiency. From waste-to-road technology and drone-based analytics to ATMS-enabled expressways and AI-driven construction, NHAI is building a highway network that is modern, sustainable, and aligned with India’s vision of becoming globally competitive and self-reliant.”

Welcoming participants, Shri Archit Agarwal, Chair, National Infrastructure Committee, ICC & Director – GR Infra Projects, noted that Indian infrastructure has emerged as the backbone of Atmanirbhar Bharat. “Backed by initiatives such as the National Infrastructure Pipeline, PM Gati Shakti, and green financing, India is creating a resilient and future-ready ecosystem. Going forward, the sector’s focus will be on sustainability, digital transformation, and resilience,” he said.

The conclave further deliberated on PPP models, policy frameworks, safety initiatives, financing, land acquisition, environmental clearances, and technology integration, offering a comprehensive roadmap for India’s infrastructure growth.