Page 18 - TT mag Sept 2025 Digital Edition

INFRASTRUCTURE

Infrastructure development in India
Further, the Project Monitoring
is undergoing a metamorphosis Group was established for
with the government shifting its milestone-based tracking of large
focus from a need-based system projects and removing their
of development to one where it is regulatory hurdles by bringing
creating infrastructure for Viksit together government agencies
Bharat. At the heart of this new and developers/investors. So
approach is an ethos to create far, the initiative has monitored
2,900 large projects. In addition,
integrated, multimodal and holistic digital initiatives such as National
connectivity to power India’s next Logistics Data Bank and The Unified
leg of economic ascent.” Logistics Interface Platform have
been launched by the government
— Karan Sethi to leverage technology and create
nationwide single window and
data repositories for supply chain
optimisation.

The Sagarmala programme added 760 Kms in the last 10 years, To unlock private sector
has doubled port capacity and while daily ridership quadrupled investments in infrastructure, the
halved vessel turnaround time. It to 112 Mn. Taking this to the next government had launched the
has aggressive goals to further level is the Regional Rapid Transit USD 81 Bn National Monetisation
quadruple port capacity will System project expected to stitch Pipeline, offering operational assets
vitalize India’s target of doubling the entire National Capital Territory with steady cash flows across
merchandise exports (USD 1 region into one economic centre. various sectors. The progressive
Trn in 2030). Key elements of To directly stimulate economic Public Private Partnership
this plan include developing development, the country also framework and a mature secondary
mega/deep draft ports such as launched the expansive National market in the country has attracted
Vadhavan (envisioned as one of Industrial Corridor Development various institutional investors, and
world’s top 10) and achieving Programme, which included Canadian pension funds are a
full-scale operations at Vizhinjam the development of four new case in study. Five major Canadian
Deepwater Seaport (India’s first industrial cities as ‘Smart Cities’, investors (Brookfield, CPPIB, Fairfax,
dedicated transshipment port by employing next generation CDPQ and PSPIB) have invested
capable of hosting the world’s technologies to provide plug over USD 40 Bn in India.
largest ships). Recognising the need to create
& play infrastructure. With the
In addition, strong waves in initial four nodes completed, the channels for sustainable long
the sector are also driving the government announced another term infrastructure funding, in
country’s vision to become a top new 12 industrial cities in this year’s 2015, the government created
five shipbuilding nation by 2047 budget. India’s first-ever sovereign wealth
(current rank 22), underpinned by India is also employing fund, the National Infrastructure
dedicated fiscal and policy support. technology-based institutional and Investment Fund (NIIF), that
The maritime segment is also mechanisms to improve planning of today manages USD 5 Bn across
adopting sustainable modes such as infrastructure projects and remove infrastructure and private equity.
inland waterways (29 operational bottlenecks in their execution. The In another step, the government
in 2025 from 3 in 2011) and the PM GatiShakti – National Master established the National Bank
country’s first water metro in Kochi. for Financing Infrastructure and
Plan for Multi-Modal Connectivity Development (NaBFID), a legislation
The government is focusing comprises a dynamic GIS platform backed development financial
equally in creating significant urban unifying over 1,600 data layers, 44 institution, which in its first four
physical infrastructure. With 1,013 central ministries and 36 states/ years of operations (2022-2026),
Kms, India is now ranked third in UTs, to aid designing of multimodal aims to achieve total cumulative
total length of metro lines, having infrastructure. sanctions of USD 35 Bn.

18 SEPTEMBER 2025 • TrafficInfraTech • www.trafficinfratech.com