Hitesh Tharwani

Hitesh Tharwani

Construction Manager
L&T Construction
PGEMP Batch 96

Abhijeet Jain

Abhijeet Jain

Senior DGM
L&T Construction
PGEMP Batch 21

Reimagining project management in India’s construction sector

Publication: Industrial Products Finder Online | Date: December 10, 2025

India’s construction sector stands at a critical inflection point. Despite infrastructure investments exceeding $850 billion, nearly 60% of projects face cost and schedule overruns, as noted by NITI Aayog. Low productivity, fragmented planning, limited digital adoption, and a widening skilled labour gap continue to constrain outcomes. The article argues for a shift to a predictive, technology-enabled, and performance-oriented ecosystem.

Sustainable transformation requires integrating digital tools, redesigning contracting frameworks, and repositioning the workforce through augmentation rather than substitution. Leadership commitment and policy alignment are essential to unlock efficiency, safety, and scalability across the infrastructure value chain.

Key insights for practitioners:

  • Digital foundation for project excellence: Institutionalising BIM, digital twins, and Common Data Environments to enable integrated planning, reduce rework, and enhance cross-functional coordination.
  • Predictive intelligence for proactive control: Deploying AI and IoT-enabled dashboards to anticipate schedule slippages, cost overruns, equipment failures, and safety risks before they escalate.
  • Collaborative contracting for shared accountability: Adopting models such as Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) and target-cost frameworks to align incentives, distribute risk fairly, and minimise disputes.
  • Centralised governance and real-time oversight: Establishing Integrated Project Controls Offices (IPCO) to synchronise cost, schedule, risk, quality, and vendor performance under a unified command structure.
  • Automation and industrialised construction: Leveraging robotics, modular systems, and AR/VR-based training to enhance productivity, improve precision, and reduce on-site labour dependency.
  • The augmented workforce model: Building a hybrid, tech-enabled workforce that combines human expertise with digital tools to drive higher productivity, safety, and project predictability.

India’s construction sector must transition from fragmented, labour-intensive practices to a digital-first, predictive project management model to overcome chronic delays, skill shortages, and productivity constraints.

Read more

Enquire now

    Fellow Programme in Management (FPM)

      Subscribe now

      Thank you for subscribing! Please check your inbox for more details.

      AppLy Now