The government's infrastructure monitoring expanded significantly in September 2026, with 1,853 central sector infrastructure projects worth ₹37.56 lakh crore now under monitoring, up from 1,731 projects worth ₹33.60 lakh crore in August 2026, according to the latest monthly Flash Report from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI). The ₹3.96 lakh crore increase in combined revised cost reflects changes in project composition rather than fresh investment, as the number and composition of projects under monitoring can vary. The monthly flash report tracks infrastructure projects costing ₹150 crore and above across 17 central ministries and departments through the PAIMANA-PROJ monitoring platform.
India's ongoing infrastructure projects have recorded a cumulative cost overrun of ₹3.22 lakh crore, as per the September 2026 government report. The total estimated spend has shot up from ₹34.34 lakh crore to ₹37.56 lakh crore as of September 2026, highlighting significant budget pressures in the infrastructure sector. The government has spent ₹17.73 lakh crore, representing 47.21% of the latest estimated cost, on 1,853 central infrastructure projects worth ₹37.56 lakh crore as of September 2026, according to the MoSPI report. Of the total projects under monitoring, 780 are mega projects costing ₹1,000 crore or more, while the remaining 1,073 are major projects costing less than ₹1,000 crore.
Transport and logistics emerged as the largest sector with 1,320 projects worth ₹20.07 lakh crore, where expenditure stood at ₹10.24 lakh crore, or 51.03% of their revised cost. The energy sector followed with 225 projects worth ₹11.04 lakh crore, with cumulative expenditure of ₹4.37 lakh crore, or 39.59% of the cost. Water and sanitation projects recorded the highest expenditure-to-cost ratio at around 70.81%, comprising 50 projects worth ₹1.99 lakh crore with cumulative expenditure of ₹1.41 lakh crore. The power sector showed the lowest utilization with 106 projects having a combined revised cost of ₹6.40 lakh crore, against which ₹2.07 lakh crore had been spent. According to MoSPI, the transport and logistics and energy sectors together accounted for more than 82% of the projects being monitored, highlighting their dominant share in the central infrastructure pipeline.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways accounted for the largest number of projects at 974 projects costing ₹9.46 lakh crore, with cumulative expenditure of ₹4.93 lakh crore, or 52.13% of their revised cost. The Ministry of Railways had 284 ongoing projects with a combined revised cost of ₹7.21 lakh crore, where expenditure stood at ₹3.62 lakh crore, accounting for around 50.27% of the total cost. The Ministry of Coal had 121 projects costing ₹2.22 lakh crore, against which ₹58,000 crore had been spent, representing 26.22% of the total cost. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas had 115 projects worth ₹4.30 lakh crore, with expenditure of ₹2.25 lakh crore, or 52.26% of the cost. The Ministry of Power had 106 projects having a combined revised cost of ₹6.40 lakh crore, against which ₹2.07 lakh crore had been spent. The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs had 49 projects worth ₹3.41 lakh crore, with expenditure of ₹1.70 lakh crore, or 50% of the cost. The Department of Water Resources, River Development & GR had 35 projects costing ₹1.95 lakh crore, with expenditure of ₹1.41 lakh crore, or 73.14% of the cost.
The report showed that 654 projects, or around 35% of the total, had achieved more than 80% physical progress, while 338 projects, or about 18%, had crossed 80% financial completion. During September, 83 additional projects were brought under the monitoring system, including 57 projects from the Ministry of Railways, 16 from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, seven from the Ministry of Power, two from the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, and one from the Ministry of Coal. The flash report for October 2026 is scheduled to be released on November 25. The increase in aggregate project value does not necessarily represent fresh investment or additional project costs, as the number and composition of projects under monitoring can change, according to MoSPI. The latest figures come against the backdrop of the government's continued focus on infrastructure development, particularly transport connectivity and energy capacity.
