Railways, NICDC Hit 100% Implementation Rate on Sanctioned Projects

₹5,000 crore provided to states as 50-year interest-free loans; Odissa Snubbed. 47% of highway proposals await approval as GatiShakti evaluates 352 projects worth ₹16.10 lakh crore.

New Delhi: The Ministry of Railways and the National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC) have achieved a 100% implementation rate on sanctioned infrastructure projects under the PM GatiShakti framework, even as the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways faces a significant backlog with 47% of its evaluated proposals still awaiting approval, according to government data released on Tuesday.

In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada disclosed that the Network Planning Group has evaluated 352 infrastructure projects worth ₹16.10 lakh crore under the PM GatiShakti National Master Plan since its launch in October 2021. Of these, 201 projects have been sanctioned, with 167 currently under implementation.

Separately, the government has provided ₹5,000 crore to states as 50-year interest-free loans for infrastructure development through the “Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment for 2022-23.”

Ministry Performance: Railways Lead, Highways Lag

The Ministry of Railways has demonstrated exceptional execution, with all 83 sanctioned projects under active implementation—a 100% conversion rate from approval to construction. The railway projects, valued at ₹4.22 lakh crore, represent approximately 26% of the total GatiShakti project portfolio by value.

Similarly, NICDC under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade has achieved full implementation, with all 12 sanctioned projects worth ₹28,693 crore currently under construction.

In contrast, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways—which accounts for the largest share of GatiShakti projects at ₹8.61 lakh crore shows a more complex picture. Of 164 evaluated highway projects, only 87 have received sanction, meaning 77 projects (47% of evaluated proposals) remain in the approval pipeline.

Additionally, among sanctioned road projects, 32 have not yet commenced implementation, bringing the ministry’s ground-level execution rate to 63% of sanctioned projects.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has also achieved 100% implementation of its seven sanctioned projects worth ₹2.01 lakh crore, though 16 evaluated urban infrastructure proposals remain pending sanction.

₹5,000 Crore Interest-Free Loans to States

The Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure has approved ₹5,000 crore in 50-year interest-free loans to states under Part-II of the “Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment for 2022-23,” specifically designated for PM GatiShakti-related infrastructure expenditure.

A total of 178 state-level projects have been approved across 27 states, with total approved capital expenditure of ₹4,764.53 crore. The scheme provides unprecedented long-term, interest-free financing to accelerate state infrastructure development.

West Bengal leads with 30 approved projects valued at ₹376 crore, followed by Chhattisgarh with 27 projects (₹168.42 crore) and Bihar with 21 projects (₹502.92 crore). Uttar Pradesh received the highest total allocation of ₹896.91 crore for 15 projects.

Notably, Odisha received zero allocation under this scheme despite having eligible infrastructure needs. The government data does not provide an explanation for this exclusion.

The per-project allocation varies significantly across states, ranging from ₹12.5 crore per project in West Bengal to ₹59.8 crore per project in Uttar Pradesh, suggesting different scales and types of infrastructure being funded.

Monitoring and Tracking Mechanisms

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation monitors all central sector projects costing ₹150 crore and above through the PAIMANA (Project Assessment Infrastructure Monitoring and Analytics for Nation Building) portal. The portal has published detailed flash reports on project status and cost overruns since July 2025.

For larger projects costing ₹500 crore and above, a Project Monitoring Group (PMG) has been established with a five-tier escalation framework. This system addresses issues at the ministry level for routine matters and escalates complex problems to the PRAGATI (Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation) forum chaired by the Prime Minister.

According to the government, the integration of PM GatiShakti with the PMG framework has expedited resolution of regulatory bottlenecks and implementation issues.

The GatiShakti Framework

PM GatiShakti National Master Plan, launched in October 2021, aims to ensure integrated planning of infrastructure projects through multimodality, inter-modality, synchronization of efforts, last-mile connectivity, and data-driven decision-making.

The Network Planning Group evaluates infrastructure projects at the planning stage to ensure coordination across ministries and prevent delays and cost overruns. As of February 2026, the NPG has evaluated 352 projects worth ₹16.10 lakh crore across ten ministries and departments.

The data shows varying levels of success across different ministries, with Railways and NICDC achieving full implementation of sanctioned projects, while the road sector, accounting for over half of total project value, faces a substantial approval backlog.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

Railways: 100% implementation rate- All 83 sanctioned projects under construction

NICDC: 100% implementation rate- All 12 sanctioned projects under construction

Housing & Urban Affairs: 100% implementation rate- All 7 sanctioned projects under construction

Road Transport: 47% of proposals await sanction- 77 of 164 evaluated projects pending approval

Road Transport: 63% implementation rate- 32 sanctioned projects not yet started

₹5,000 crore interest-free loans- 50-year term for state infrastructure

178 state projects approved- Worth ₹4,764.53 crore across 27 states

Odisha excluded- Zero projects, zero allocation