Infrastructure is the responsibility of both - the government and the private sector. Presently, the government is heavily investing in the infrastructure sector compared to the private sector.

Even as the country's aviation industry is projected to be among the global top three by the next decade, there is a need to address certain pressing issues to ensure that the growth momentum is maintained in the long-term.

As per estimates by Central Electricity Authority (CEA), there are around 46,000 MW of generation assets which are stranded for the lack of last mile connectivity and evacuation related issues.

By fiscal year 2023, India will be looking at a whopping investment requirement of Rs 38.6 trillion in the infrastructure sector. Over a period of time, the government spending has completely overshadowed private sector investment which was 37 per cent in 2008, and a gradual downward curve between 2013 and 2017 was witnessed.

Amidst the chaos seen in the power sector, with 22,000 MW thermal power projects lying idle for the need of coal or gas and lenders taking power generating assets to National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) to recover dues, the transmission sector- with longer life cycle and lower risks- has exhibited the only ray of hope for investors and developers alike.

India is one of the fastest growing aviation markets in the world. The traffic growth, in the last three years, has been in the range of 16-18 per cent per annum. India is expected to be amongst the top three aviation markets in 2020 along with the US and China.

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.

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.