“Infrastructure is not about steel and structure; it is about how people live, move, and dream. The true foundations of tomorrow’s cities lie in clarity of thought, disciplined execution, and sustainability,” said Arjun Dhawan, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Hindustan Construction Company Ltd, while inaugurating the 9th edition of the International Conference on Construction, Real Estate, Infrastructure and Project Management (ICCRIP) at NICMAR University, Pune.
Addressing faculty, industry leaders, and students, Mr. Dhawan underscored the immense opportunities and responsibilities that lie ahead for India.
He noted that India has invested over $750 billion in infrastructure in the last five years and plans to spend $1.5 trillion more in the next 5 to 7 years, yet the gap remains close to $5 trillion.
“The solution is not just pouring more money into projects, but ensuring clarity of choices, discipline in execution, and sustainability in outcomes,” he said.
Highlighting global lessons of underperformance, Mr. Dhawan observed that fewer than 10 per cent of large-scale infrastructure projects meet original cost and time estimates, and less than 1 per cent succeed on all fronts.
To overcome this, he stressed three fundamentals:
Clarity – Defining the right project with purpose, research, and long-term planning.
Execution Discipline – Strong institutions, inspired leadership, and fair public–private partnerships.
Sustainability – Recycling, repurposing, and reducing consumption while innovating for the future.
“Urban migration in India, unfolding in decades what took Europe centuries, will place unprecedented pressure on cities. How we plan, execute, and sustain projects will determine whether we merely build structures or lay the true foundations of a confident, inclusive, and enduring India,” Dhawan concluded.
The inauguration was graced by Amit Prothi, Director General of CDRI, Prof. Dr. Vijay Gupchup, President of NICMAR University, Dr. Sushma S. Kulkarni, Vice Chancellor, Dr. Tapas Kumar Ganguli, Interim Director General, NICMAR, and Dr. Rajnikant Rajhans, Conference Convenor and Dean of Research & Development.
Speaking on the occasion, Amit Prothi said that for a developed India, more than $10 trillion will be spent on infrastructure and investment services by 2050, with greater emphasis on resilience against natural disasters and climate change.
Dr. Sushma Kulkarni highlighted the growing role of technology, research, and artificial intelligence in preventing failures like the recent bridge collapse in Gujarat, stressing the need for innovation in civil engineering.
Prof. Dr. Vijay Gupchup remarked that since NICMAR became a university in 2022, its curriculum has been redesigned to integrate industry, academia, research, and innovation to prepare future-ready professionals.
Dr. Tapas Kumar Ganguli emphasised that the construction sector has the potential to create smart, inclusive cities, and this conference will give students access to cutting-edge knowledge.
In his welcome address, Dr. Rajnikant Rajhans noted that more than 200 research papers from 18 countries are being presented across six major categories, including research, case studies, doctoral symposiums, practitioner perspectives, industry exhibitions, and a hackathon.
M.V. Satish, Executive Committee Member of L&T and Advisor to the CMD, participated online and pointed out that the construction sector contributes 8 to 9 per cent of India’s GDP
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