The Indian road and highway construction industry has witnessed remarkable growth in recent years, fuelled by the nation’s rapid economic progress. With aspirations to become an economic superpower, the Indian government and state authorities have prioritised infrastructure development, leading to a surge in funding for national highways and other critical projects. India’s impressive pace of road construction, averaging about 60 kilometres per day, is a testament to the country’s commitment to enhancing connectivity and facilitating seamless transportation.
At the forefront of this infrastructure revolution are the top 10 road construction companies in India, renowned for their exceptional quality, efficiency, innovation, and high-volume construction capabilities. These companies play a vital role as road contractors, undertaking operational tasks to bring these ambitious projects to fruition. From meticulous project planning and monitoring to ensuring worksite safety and adhering to regulatory requirements, road contractors shoulder significant responsibilities. This article delves into the profiles of these leading companies, highlighting their contributions to India’s rapidly evolving road and highway network.
1. Larsen & Toubro
L&T (Larsen & Toubro) stands tall as one of India’s premier companies for constructing roadways, elevated corridors, and runways. Their Transportation Infrastructure business vertical has spearheaded the development and construction of the entire spectrum of highways, ranging from micro to massive, urban to rural, and simple to complex. With an impressive track record, they have built over 13,500 kilometers of roads, along with numerous bridges, toll booths, and intricate road interchanges.
In a significant development, Larsen and Toubro has secured an INR 2,095 crore order from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation Ltd (MSRDC) to construct Package 10 of the Nagpur Mumbai Super Communication Expressway (Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg). This package involves the construction of the expressway from Village Fatiwabad to Village Surala in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra.
Other Key Projects –
- Delhi-Agra Road
- Unnao Lucknow Express Highway
- Ahmedabad Dholera Expressways
2. Dilip Buildcon
Dilip Buildcon, founded in 1987, stands as the industry leader in executing EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) projects, with a strong focus on road construction. Headquartered in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, and listed on both the BSE and NSE, Dilip Buildcon has been recognized with the Silver Award at the 2018 National Highway Award for Excellence by the Indian Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
Currently, Dilip Buildcon is engaged in the construction of the NHAI Delhi – Vadodara Greenfield Expressway (Package 15). The proposed project involves the construction of an Eight Lane access-controlled Expressway starting near the Junction with NH-12 near the village Ummedpura to a major bridge over the Takli river near Nayagaon Jageer village, a section of the Delhi – Vadodara Green field Alignment (NH-148N). The total length of this section is 8.3 Km.
Other Key Projects –
- 6-lane Access Controlled Greenfield Highway, Karnataka
- Mahagaon – Yavatmal Expressway
- 6-lane road under Raipur-Vishakhapatnam Economics Corridor
3. Afcons Infrastructure Limited
Afcons Infrastructure Limited, a Mumbai-based company established in 1959, offers construction and engineering services. The company provides infrastructure services and participates in the construction of infrastructure projects, such as viaducts, flyovers, metros, bridges, pipelines, motorways, ports, barrages, and projects for oil and gas.
Afcons is currently involved in the construction of the MSRDC Nagpur-Mumbai Super Communication Expressway (Package 14). The project entails building the Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg, an access-controlled highway between Nagpur and Mumbai, as part of Package 14 (Village Taranganpada-Pimpri Sadroddin to Village Vashala BK in District Nashik and Thane). The overall length of the highway is 13 kilometers, and the project’s construction cost is INR 2413 crores.
Other Key Projects –
- 3-Grade Separator, New Delhi
- Mumbai Nagpur Super Communication Expressway
4. IRB Infrastructure Developers Ltd
IRB Infrastructure Developers Ltd. is a key player in the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) market and is India’s first and foremost multi-national infrastructure developer in the roads sector. One of the major projects being undertaken by them is the NHAI Six Laning of the Chittoor-Thachur Highway (Package-4). The proposed project involves the Development of a Six-lane Chittoor-Thachur Highway from Km 96.040 (Pondavakkam) to Km 116.100 (Kannigaipair) on a Hybrid Annuity mode under the Bharatmala Priyojana, in the state of Tamil Nadu (Package-4).
Other Key Projects –
- Ahmedabad Vadodara Six Lanes Expressway
- Meerut Budaun Six Lanes Expressway
- Yedeshi Aurangabad Four Laning project
5. H.G. Infra Engineering Limited (HGIEL)
Infrastructure firm H.G. Infra Engineering Limited (HGIEL) is promoted by Shri Hodal Singh, a construction industry veteran with 40 years of expertise. Under the leadership of Shri Harendra Singh Choudhary, HGIEL has evolved into a premier Indian enterprise for the construction of road infrastructure.
Other Key Projects –
- Ganga Expressway Group-II
- Raipur-Vishakhapatnam (Package 1)
- Karala Kanjhawala Road
6. G R Infraprojects Limited
G R Infraprojects Limited stands as one of the top companies in the road-building industry. They possess decades of solid project execution experience in EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction), BOT (Build, Operate, and Transfer), and HAM (Hybrid Annuity Model) projects, which encompass the development and construction of state and national highways, bridges, culverts, flyovers, airport runways, tunnels, and rail over-bridges.
They boast a diverse portfolio of completed projects across various regions of India and at varying levels of complexity, including tunnel construction in steep terrains and high-traffic, high-density areas. G R Infraprojects Limited is involved in the construction of the NHAI Four Laning of the Madanapalle to Pileru Section of NH-71. The project proposes the Construction of Four Lanning of NH-71 from Madanapalle to on Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) in the State of Andhra Pradesh under the Bharatmala – Pariyojna.
7. NCC Infra
NCC Infra, a Hyderabad-based construction firm founded in 2005, supports various infrastructure sectors, including power, water, railways, housing, and irrigation. The company has emerged as a leader in the BOT services, real estate, and international business markets.
NCC is currently constructing a super communication expressway between Nagpur and Mumbai (Package-3). As part of the project, an Access Controlled Nagpur Mumbai Super Communication Expressway, also known as the Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg, will be constructed in Maharashtra on an EPC basis for Package 3 Village Ashta to Village Wadhona Ramnath. This highway has a total length of 72.367 kilometers.
Other Key Projects –
- Construction of Ahmedabad – Vadodara Access Controlled National Expressway NE-1, Gujarat.
- 8 Lane Access Controlled Expressway with 2×2 lane service roads for Outer Ring Road Project in Hyderabad City, Telangana
- Six Lane Agra – Lucknow Access Controlled Expressway Project, Uttar Pradesh.
8. PNC Infratech Limited
PNC Infratech Limited is a leading provider of infrastructure investment, development, construction, operation, and management in the country, operating across various sectors nationwide. As a prominent infrastructure provider, it possesses extensive experience and demonstrated expertise in a wide range of industries, including expressways, highways, bridges, flyovers, airport runways, water supply, industrial area development, and other infrastructure activities.
As a single source for all infrastructure implementation services, they offer design, engineering, procurement, construction, O&M, and “Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Transfer” (DBFOT), toll, annuity, hybrid annuity, and operate-maintain-transfer.
One of the major projects they are undertaking is the NHAI Eight Laning of the Kanpur Lucknow Expressway (Package-II). The project proposes the construction of Six Lane Upgradable to Eight Lane of the Kanpur Lucknow Expressway, including a Spur in the state of Uttar Pradesh on a Hybrid Annuity mode under the Bharatmala – Pariyojana (Package-2).
Other Key Projects –
- 4 laning Jhansi -Khajuraho section of NH 75/76
- Six Laning of Chakeri Allahabad section of NH-2
- 4 laning of Aligarh- Kanpur Section
9. Tata Projects
In India, Tata Projects is a market leader in the development of airports and metro rail systems, offering comprehensive solutions for the transportation industry. They are currently constructing several elevated and underground metro rail systems, as well as expressways, roads, and a dedicated freight route.
TATA Projects is undertaking the construction of the NHAI Four Laning of Ramban to Banihal Section of NH-1A (Package 1) at a cost of INR 1245 crores. The project proposes the Construction of Four Laning of part of the Ramban to Banihal Section of NH-1A (Now NH-44), From Km 154.210 To Km 158.650 (North Bound) and from Km 155.940 To Km 160.260 (South Bound) Section, including the construction of twin tube tunnels (Package-I) in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir on an EPC Mode. The Highway Length, North Bound is 4.440 Km, and South Bound is 4.320 Km.
Other Key Projects –
- Chennai Outer Ring Road
10. Gayatri Projects Ltd
Over the past 17 years, Gayatri Projects Ltd. has worked on a variety of infrastructure development projects, including motorways, irrigation projects, large-scale excavations, ports, airports, and industrial civil works. The company has been engaged in road construction for more than 17 years and leverages the pre-qualification process to expand into other states and regions, taking on more challenging projects.
They are constructing the MSRDC Nagpur – Mumbai Super Communication Expressway (Package 11) at a cost of INR 1,110 crores. The project envisages the Construction of Access Controlled Nagpur Mumbai Super Communication Expressway, also known as the Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg, in the State of Maharashtra on an EPC Mode for Package 11 Village Dhotre to Village Derde Karhale (from Km 502.698 TO Km. 532.094) in the Ahmednagar district. The length of this highway is 29.396 km.
Other Key Projects –
- Nagpur – Mumbai Expressway near Shirdi – 29.39 Kms (6 Lane)
- Purvanchal Expressways around Lucknow – 80 Kms. (6 Lane)
- 6 Lane tunnel at Khambataki Ghat
