Road infrastructure is the fastest-growing sector of the Indian economy: Nitin Gadkari

Union minister of road, transport, and highways, Nitin Gadkari, said on Friday that the road infrastructure sector is the fastest-growing sector in the country, with greenfield expressway projects worth ₹5 lakh crore currently underway. 

“Infrastructure is the backbone of a nation’s growth, and India has made tremendous progress in this field,” Gadkari said while addressing the India Infrastructure Summit 2025 hosted by the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC). 

“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,” Gadkari added. 

“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 added. 

During the plenary session on ‘Recent Trends, New Focus Areas, and Future Strategies’, Sunil Jindal, chief general manager (technical), National Highways Authority of India, outlined the institution’s transformative efforts. 

“Over the past decade, NHAI has scaled new heights—spending has risen sevenfold, construction pace has accelerated to 35 kilometres per day, and more than 50,000 kilometres of highways and 830 projects have been completed. With another 15,000 kilometres and 460 projects in progress, our focus is equally on sustainability, safety, and efficiency,” Jindal said. 

“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,” Jindal added. 

Archit Agarwal, chair of the National Infrastructure Committee, ICC & Director of GR Infra Projects, said that infrastructure has emerged as the backbone of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative. “Over the past decade, Indian infrastructure has emerged as the backbone of the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative—building strong physical, digital, and energy networks that reduce import dependence and enhance competitiveness,” Agarwal added.