Synopsis: The infrastructure in India has undergone a radical shift in the past five years, and the states have become the major catalysts for large-scale development. This article will discuss the top seven states in India that have invested the most in infrastructure development.
India has been aggressively increasing its infrastructure spending over the past 5 years. Infrastructure has become a growth agenda, and not just a development spend. This has included scaling up in roads, highways, metro rail systems, airports, ports, and digital infrastructure, which has been focused on improving connectivity and economic efficiency.
This has assisted in improving transport and logistics connectivity, which has resulted in the reduction of travel times and costs, as well as improved trade and the development of cities and industries. On the other hand, major infrastructure development projects have assisted in the creation of jobs and private investment, which has enabled infrastructure to play a major role in the overall development of the economy of India.
India has been increasing its infrastructure spending over the past five years through increased capital spending in the Union Budget. The infrastructure spending has increased from around ₹3.4 lakh crores in 2020 to ₹11.21 lakh crores in 2025.
States wise breakdown- Top 7 states with highest spending on infrastructure
1. Uttar Pradesh
Total Expenditure: ₹5.18 lakh crore
Emphasis on expressways & highways, metro rail in large cities, airports & regional connectivity, and digital/public infrastructure.
Projects:
- Purvanchal Expressway
- Cost: ₹22,494 Crore
- 340.8 Km long, 6 lane wide access controlled expressway.
- Connects Lucknow with Uttar Pradesh
- Started: 2018
- Current status: Completed
- Operational status: Since 2021
- Bundelkhand Expressway
- Cost: ₹14,716 crore
- 296 km long. 4 land wide expressway
- Started: 2020
- Current status: Complted
- Operational status: since 2022
- Jewar Airport-Ganga Expressway link
- Cost: ₹14,850 crore
- An access-controlled greenfield expressway connecting Jewar Airport to the Ganga Expressway.
- Started: 2021
- Current status: Under construction
- Operational status: Phase 1from 2025-26
2. Maharashtra
Total spending: ₹3.09 lakh crore
Focuses majorly on highways, metros, airports, urban transport and public infrastructure.
Projects:
- Mumbai- Nagpur Expressway
- Cost: ₹55,000 crore
- 701 km acess controlled expressway
- Connects Mumbai and Nagpur
- Started: 2016
- Current status: Mostly complted
- Operational status: phases wise from 2022-2025
- Mumbai metro network
- Cost: ₹60,000 crore
- Covering Line 1, 2A, 7, 3
- Started: 2015
- Current status: Under construction
- Operational status: Lines 2A and 7 operating since 2022. Line 3 expected to be completed by 2025-26.
- Navi Mumbai International Airport
- Cost: ₹16,700 crore
- Greenfield international airport as an addition to exsisting Mumbai’s airport capacity
- Started: 2018
- Current status: Under construction
- Operational status: expected to operate from 2025-26
3. Karnataka
Total spending: ₹2.55 lakh crore
Majorly focuses on urban infrastructure which includes metro, rail, highways, expressways and airport expansion.
Projects:
- Bengaluru Metro Phase 2
- Cost: ₹14,788 crore
- Expansion of Namma metro phases to improve mobility across Bengaluru
- Started: 2019
- Current status: under construction
- Operational status: 2024-26
- Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project
- Cost: ₹15,767 crore
- Railway network connecting Bengaluru with suburbs
- Started: 2022
- Current status: Under construction
- Operational status: Expected to operate from 2026-Phase wise
- Bengaluru- Chennai expressway
- Cost: ₹17,900 crore
- Access-controlled expressway connecting Bengaluru with Chennai
- Started: 2021
- Current status: Under construction
- Operational status: Expected to be completed by 2025-26
- Kempegowda International Airport- Terminal 2
- Cost: ₹13,000 crore
- New terminal to increase passenger handling capacity at Bengaluru airport
- Started: 2019
- Current status: Completed
- Operational status: Since 2023
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4. Madhya Pradesh
Total spending: ₹2.44 lakh crore
Majorly focuses on highways, water infrastructure, power and energy projects.
Projects:
- Delhi-Mumbai expressway
- Cost: ₹22,000 crore
- Access-controlled expressway improving passenger and freight connectivity across central India.
- Started: 2019
- Current status: Under construction
- Operational status: Expected to be completed by 2025-26
- Ken-Betwa River linking project
- Cost: ₹44,600 crore
- Aimed at drinking water supply, and hydropower generation
- Current status: 2022
- Operational status: Expected to be completed by 2030-phase wise
- Indore Metro Rail Project
- Cost: ₹7,500 crore
- To improve urban transportation
- Started: 2019
- Current status: Under construction
- Operational status: Expected to be completed by 2026
5. Gujarat
Total spending: ₹2.25 lakh crore
Majorly focuses on port led development, industrial corridors, highways and expressways, renewable energy infrastructure.
Projects:
- Ahmedabad-Dholera Expressway
- Cost: ₹3,200 crore
- Access-controlled expressway connecting Ahmedabad with Dholera SIR
- Started: 2021
- Current status: Under construction
- Operational status: Expected completion by 2025-26
- Gujarat Hybrid Renewable energy Park
- Cost: ₹1.5 lakh crore
- World’s largest hybrid renewable energy park
- Started: 2022
- Current status: Under construction
- Operational status: Expected to start operating from 2024
- Pipavav Port Expansion Project
- Cost: ₹17,000 crore
- Expansion of port infrastructure for handling capacity and strengthen logistics.
- Started: 2024
- Current status: Development stage
- Operational status: next few years
6. Tamil Nadu
Total spending: ₹2.00lakh crore
Majorly focuses on metro rail, urban transportation, highways, public infrastructure and industrial corridors.
Projects:
- Chennai Metro Rail Phase 2
- Cost: ₹61,843 crore
- Expansion of Chennai Metro network to improve urban mobility
- Started: 2021
- Current status: Under construction
- Operational status: Expected to be operating between 2026-2028
- Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor
- Cost: ₹10,000 crore
- Aimed at boosting manufacturing, logistics, and regional development
- Started: 2017
- Current status: Under development
- Operational status: Over the next few years
- Kamarajar Port Expansion
- Cost: ₹7,500 crore
- Expansion of port infrastructure to improve cargo handling and support industrial growth
- Started: 2018
- Current status: Under construction
- Operational status: Phase wise operating
7. Odisha
Total spending: ₹1.78 lakh crore
Majorly focuses on ports and port led infrastructure, highways, road connectivity, rail linked logistics.
Projects:
- Paradip Port Expansion
- Cost: ₹25,00 crore
- Expansion of port capacity, cargo handling and logistics infrastructure
- Started: 2018
- Current status: Under construction
- Operational status: Phase wise operations
- Puri-Konark Marine Drive and Coastal Highway Projects
- Cost: ₹2,500 Crore
- Coastal road infrastructure to improve tourism connectivity
- Started: 2020
- Current status: Under construction
- Operational status: Phase-wise completion by 2025-26
- Talcher- Paradeep Rail Line
- Cost: ₹8,000 crore
- Rail infrastructure to support coal, steel and industrial freight movement
- Started: 2017
- Current status: Under construction
- Operational status: Phase-wise operations
Conclusion
Over the last five years, India’s infrastructure has driven largely by state level execution, with states investing heavily in road, metros, airports, urban infrastructure. These investments have improved connectivity, generated employment, strengthened regional economics, reduced logistics costs.
Written by Boyapati Sai Jasmitha
