Total order backlog of the engineering and construction firms was Rs.8.1 trillion at the end of FY18. Of the whole order backlog, almost 62 per cent was contributed by the construction companies, followed by 24 per cent of capital goods companies catering to the energy industry.

Nearly Rs 54 billion will be generated through the auction off the second tranche of eight completed national highway projects. The Toll Operate Transfer (TOT) will be responsible for the maintenance and will have the right to collect the toll on these stretches for 30 years.

Under the Bharatmala project, roads and highways measuring a total of 950 km will be developed in Chhattisgarh. The Central Government had already declared 290.08 km of road as new national highways during FY 2017-18.

At least 59 mega central sector infrastructure projects worth Rs 10 billion each, have reported a cost overrun of Rs 1.36 trillion. As per Vijay Goel, Union Minister, a total of 389 mega projects worth more than Rs 10 billion including rail and road sectors were on the monitor of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI).

Following its parent IL&FS approving a Rs 80 billion recapitalisation plan for the company, road developer IL&FS Transportation Networks (ITNL) is planning to bid for projects worth Rs 40 billion.

The shares of IRB Infrastructure Developers have surged as much as 5.2 per cent to Rs 204 with a 5 per cent increase in net profit at Rs 2.5 billion for the quarter ended June 30, 2018, against Rs 2.38 billion in the previous year’s quarter.

In this extensive interview to INFRASTRUCTURE TODAY, he says that it is entirely up to the Railways on how it would like to leverage its unique position as the country’s most inclusive transporter.

Mangal Dev, Head of Hitachi Rail Systems Co., India & South Asia Region affirms that the time is ripe for the development of a network of bullet train projects in the country.