Infra projects see cost overrun of Rs 5.61 lakh crore in March

ET logo


New Delhi: Infrastructure projects worth above Rs 150 crore each registered a cumulative cost overrun of Rs 5.61 lakh crore, according to a monthly government report for March.

The latest ‘Flash Report on Central Sector Infrastructure Projects‘ showed that the revised cost of all 1,941 projects, each valued at Rs 150 crore or higher, monitored by the statistics ministry, stood at Rs 41,50,159 crore compared to their original cost of Rs 35,88,861 crore.

The report did not specify the actual number of projects that are facing cost overrun.

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), in a press release on Friday, stated that as of March 2026, 1,941 ongoing infrastructure projects, with a total revised cost of Rs 41.50 lakh crore, are being monitored across 17 central ministries/departments.

The cumulative expenditure incurred on these projects stands at Rs 19.93 lakh crore, accounting for approximately 48.02 per cent of the revised project cost, indicating steady progress in project implementation.


A significant proportion of projects are at advanced stages, with 777 projects (40 per cent) achieving over 80 per cent physical progress, while 261 (13 per cent) have crossed 80 per cent financial completion.

The data also reflects a balanced pipeline, with projects distributed across early and advanced stages of implementation.The transport & logistics sector accounts for the highest number of ongoing projects (1,428) with revised estimates of Rs 22.66 lakh crore, underscoring priority to connectivity-driven infrastructure growth.

The total 1,941 ongoing infrastructure projects include 786 mega projects (of Rs 1,000 crore and above) with an original cost of Rs 30.48 lakh crore, and 1,155 major projects (of below Rs 1,000 crore and up to Rs 150 crore) amounting to Rs 5.41 lakh crore.

Physical and financial progress broadly move in tandem, with a large number of projects clustered at the initial (0-20 per cent) and advanced (81-100 per cent) stages, indicating a pipeline of newly-started projects, alongside many nearing completions.

While physical progress exceeds financial progress in the 81-100 per cent range, financial progress is relatively higher in the early stages, reflecting upfront expenditure patterns in project implementation, it stated.

The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways accounts for the highest number of projects, with 1120 projects (58 per cent), and a share of total revised project cost of Rs 10.61 lakh crore (26 per cent), highlighting its central role in national infrastructure development.

The Ministry of Railways is implementing 244 projects (13 per cent), and also commands the largest share of total revised project cost at Rs 8.37 lakh crore (20 per cent).

The coal ministry accounts for implementing 127 projects (6 per cent), with a total revised project cost of Rs 2.46 lakh crore (6 per cent).

The Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, the Ministry of Power, the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, and the Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation are implementing 108, 98, 53, and 49 projects, with associated revised costs of Rs 5.11 lakh crore, Rs 5.14 lakh crore, Rs 3.6 lakh crore, and Rs 2.26 lakh crore, respectively.

The remaining 142 projects (7 per cent), with a total revised cost of Rs 3.96 lakh crore (10 per cent), are distributed across various ministries/departments, including higher education, civil aviation, steel, telecommunications, labour & employment, ports, shipping & waterways, health & family welfare, mines, DPIIT, and sports.

Transport and Logistics remains the dominant sector, accounting for 55 per cent of total revised cost (Rs 22.66 lakh crore) across 1,428 projects (73 per cent of the total projects), underscoring the central role of roads & highways, railways, aviation, urban public transport, shipping, and inland waterways in economic integration and logistics efficiency.

The energy sector follows with 26 per cent of aggregated revised cost (Rs 10.79 lakh crore) across 212 projects, reflecting sustained emphasis on oil & gas infrastructure, electricity generation, transmission and distribution networks, and energy storage systems.

Communication infrastructure, with a revised cost of Rs 2.73 lakh crore (7 per cent) across 12 projects, represents targeted interventions aimed at strengthening digital connectivity.

Water & Sanitation projects account for Rs 2.31 lakh crore (5 per cent) across 71 projects, highlighting continued focus on essential urban services.

Social & Commercial infrastructure, comprising 73 projects with a revised cost of Rs 0.79 lakh crore (2 per cent), reflects selective investments in education, health care, real estate, and tourism, hospitality and wellness.

Projects classified under ‘Others’, amounting to Rs 2.20 lakh crore (5 per cent) across 145 projects, indicate diversification across sectors, such as coal, steel, metals, and mining.

During March 2026, 25 projects were commissioned.



Source link

Online Company Registration in India

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *