Tarmac to towers: The India infrastructure story

A COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE SECTOR IN INDIA OVER THE LAST TWO DECADES
On 24 October 1998, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee announced the Golden Quadrilateral project, auguring a period of high growth and development in Indian infrastructure. However, in the two decades since, India has seen scams and failures in the sector, along with long slumps when most economic activity ceased. Nothing is so fundamental to the health of a nation as its infrastructure—the foundation of all economic activity.
Yet, all is not bleak. Over the last decade, there has been much progress. Our national highways have grown from 91,287 km to 146,145 km; we now have 148 airports instead of 74; our solar generation capacity has risen from 2.63 GW to 66.78 GW; from around 350 startups, we now have over 90,000 of them; the Indian stock market capitalisation increased from about $1.6 trillion to roughly $3.9 trillion.
Industry expert and thought leader Pratap Padode reviews the last twenty-five years of the sector, analysing both hits and misses. He presents the narrative behind the numbers—the policies, challenges and successes that shaped India’s economic landscape—and looks to the future with informed and insightful policy recommendations.
Whether you’re a policy enthusiast, a student of urban development or simply curious about India’s growth story, Tarmac to Towers is a compelling chronicle of how strategic decisions and visionary leadership can pave the way for a nation’s advancement.