Infrastructure projects costing more than Rs 150 crore each recorded a cumulative cost overrun of around Rs 3.4 lakh crore as of July 2026, according to the latest government data. The figures cover 1,775 ongoing projects monitored across 17 Central ministries and departments.

The original cost of these projects stood at Rs 33.70 lakh crore, while their revised cost rose to Rs 37.11 lakh crore, resulting in an increase of around Rs 3.4 lakh crore. The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), however, did not specify the number of individual projects that reported cost overruns.

Cumulative expenditure on the projects has reached Rs 19.26 lakh crore, equivalent to 51.91 per cent of their revised cost. The data indicates that a significant portion of the monitored projects has progressed to advanced stages of implementation.

As many as 675 projects, or 38 per cent of the total, have achieved more than 80 per cent physical progress. On the financial side, 305 projects, or 17 per cent, have crossed the 80 per cent completion mark.

The portfolio includes 735 mega projects with an original cost of Rs 1,000 crore or more, accounting for Rs 28.77 lakh crore. Another 1,040 major projects, costing between Rs 150 crore and below Rs 1,000 crore, have an original cost of Rs 4.93 lakh crore.

Transport Leads Infrastructure Pipeline

Transport and logistics accounts for the largest share of the monitored infrastructure pipeline, with 1,246 projects, or 70 per cent of the total. The sector has a combined revised cost of Rs 19.81 lakh crore, representing 53 per cent of the overall revised project cost.

The sector covers roads and highways, railways, aviation, urban public transport, shipping and inland waterways. The Energy sector follows with 205 projects and a revised cost of Rs 10.66 lakh crore, accounting for 29 per cent of the total.

Water and sanitation projects account for Rs 2.05 lakh crore across 53 projects, while communication infrastructure comprises 31 projects with a combined cost of Rs 1.34 lakh crore. Social and commercial infrastructure includes 91 projects with a revised cost of Rs 99,000 crore.

Road Ministry Has Highest Project Count

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways accounts for the largest number of projects, with 993 projects, or 56 per cent of the total. Their combined revised cost stands at Rs 9.62 lakh crore, representing 26 per cent of the overall revised project cost.

The Ministry of Railways follows with 190 projects and a revised cost of Rs 6.38 lakh crore. The Ministry of Coal has 121 projects with a revised cost of Rs 2.22 lakh crore, while the Ministries of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Power, Housing and Urban Affairs and the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation have 103, 98, 50 and 38 projects, respectively.

Their combined revised project costs stand at Rs 4.23 lakh crore, Rs 6.08 lakh crore, Rs 3.78 lakh crore and Rs 2.01 lakh crore, respectively. The remaining 182 projects across various ministries and departments account for a combined revised cost of Rs 2.78 lakh crore.

The data also shows projects spread across different stages of implementation, with a significant concentration at both the initial and advanced stages. MoSPI said financial progress is relatively higher during the early stages due to upfront expenditure, while physical progress is stronger among projects nearing completion.