New Delhi: India’s infrastructure sector has recorded growth across highways, aviation, telecommunications, ports and power, according to the latest quarterly update of the PAIMANA Performance Monitoring Dashboard released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
The dashboard highlights a 62.9 per cent year-on-year increase in National Highway projects awarded during April–September of the current financial year, while air cargo traffic rose 12 per cent to 18.6 lakh tonnes during April–August.
Launched on April 16, 2026, the PAIMANA dashboard provides a unified digital platform for monitoring infrastructure performance and supporting evidence-based policymaking. The latest update expands the dashboard to 184 indicators, including 21 newly added indicators. Quarterly data has also been updated for 41 indicators across power, civil aviation, ports, shipping and waterways, and road transport and highways.
The dashboard tracks six infrastructure sub-sectors: civil aviation, road transport and highways, power, ports, shipping and waterways, telecommunications, and railways. Its indicators are organised around five dimensions: access, quality, fiscal cost and revenue, utilisation, and affordability.
Highways and Digital Connectivity Expand
The road transport and highways sector recorded 2,236.3 kilometres of National Highway projects awarded during April–September 2026–27, registering year-on-year growth of 62.9 per cent.
Electronic toll collection also recorded an increase, with transactions reaching 225.2 crore during the period, up 24.1 per cent year-on-year. The value of electronic toll collection stood at ₹36,994.5 crore, registering growth of 11.7 per cent.
In telecommunications, India’s cumulative optical fibre cable network reached 7,52,113 kilometres by August 2026, following the addition of 29,256 kilometres during April–August.
Wired broadband subscribers grew 12.4 per cent and wireless broadband subscribers increased 12.9 per cent in 2025–26. The number of connected Gram Panchayats reached 2,23,814 by August 2026, with 5,352 added during the first five months of the current financial year.
Air Cargo and Port Traffic Register Growth
The civil aviation sector handled 18.6 lakh tonnes of air cargo during April–August 2026–27, marking a year-on-year increase of 12 per cent. Delhi airport handled the highest volume, at 5.3 lakh tonnes.
Foreign tourist arrivals reached 30.49 lakh up to August in the current financial year, registering 2 per cent growth compared with the corresponding period a year earlier.
At major ports, cargo handling increased 7.2 per cent to 390.4 million tonnes during April–August 2026–27. Non-major ports recorded growth of 1.8 per cent, handling 313.4 million tonnes during the same period.
Petroleum and crude products accounted for approximately 29.2 per cent of cargo handled at major ports, remaining the largest commodity category. Cargo movement in this category increased 3.1 per cent year-on-year.
Power Capacity and Renewable Energy Growth
India’s total installed power capacity reached 5,32,739.7 megawatts in 2025–26, registering year-on-year growth of 12.1 per cent.
Renewable energy capacity increased 29.5 per cent to 2,23,273 megawatts, accounting for approximately 42 per cent of the country’s total installed power capacity.
The figures highlight the growing contribution of renewable energy sources to India’s overall electricity generation capacity.
Railways Strengthen Infrastructure Capacity
Indian Railways also recorded growth in infrastructure and rolling stock. During 2024–25, the number of coaches increased 4.5 per cent and locomotives rose 6.4 per cent.
The length of electrified railway tracks increased 4.8 per cent, while the number of railway wagons grew 5.4 per cent during the same financial year.
MoSPI said the PAIMANA Performance Monitoring Dashboard would continue to be updated quarterly to improve transparency, facilitate access to official infrastructure statistics and support informed decision-making.
The next quarterly update is scheduled for January 15, 2027. The dashboard is available at paimana-perf.mospi.gov.in.
[DD news]