Infra sector faces cost overruns, with more than half the projects still incomplete
The cost of the country's 1,948 infrastructure projects has risen by ₹5.66 lakh crore to nearly ₹42 lakh crore. So far, ₹19.71 lakh crore has been spent, while many projects are in the final stages and new projects are also being added.
The country's major infrastructure projects have seen a significant cost overrun. The total estimated cost of 1,948 projects costing more than ₹150 crore has risen to ₹41,98,684 crore by February 2026.
This figure represents an increase of ₹5.66 lakh crore over the original cost of ₹36,32,088 crore, reflecting the massive cost overrun.
The report does not clearly detail the cost escalation.
The official report does not specify the total number of projects that have experienced cost overruns. However, the overall cost overruns indicate that many projects are facing both time and budget overruns.
19.71 lakh crore rupees spent so far
According to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, ₹19.71 lakh crore has been spent on these projects so far. This represents approximately 46.95 percent of the total revised cost, indicating that work on the projects is ongoing and progressing.
Physical and financial progress data
According to the report, 740 projects (about 38 percent) have achieved physical progress of more than 80 percent.
Meanwhile, 250 projects have reached 80 percent financial completion. This clearly indicates that many major projects are reaching their final stages.
Most projects in the transport sector
The transport and logistics sector has the highest number of ongoing projects at 1,421, totaling ₹22.96 lakh crore.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways leads the way with 1,108 projects, totaling ₹10.51 lakh crore. The railway sector is followed by 245 projects, totaling ₹8.39 lakh crore.
Large investments in other sectors as well
The Ministries of Coal, Petroleum and Natural Gas, and Power are also pursuing large-scale projects, totaling ₹2.4 lakh crore, ₹5.15 lakh crore, and ₹5.25 lakh crore, respectively, reflecting the country's investment in the energy and resources sector.
New Projects and Recent Achievements
Nine major projects were completed during February 2026. Additionally, 268 new projects were included under the monitoring system.
These include important projects such as the new unit at the Mumbai Refinery and the Ken-Betwa Link, which will further strengthen the country's infrastructure in the future.