“The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has constructed 12,349 km of national highways in 2023-24 - the second highest achievement! In 2020-21 a record 13,327 kms were constructed, the highest so far. The experience of a well-constructed road is no accident but a badly constructed one can cause many,” said Pratap Padode, Founder, FIRST Construction Council (FCC), at the launch of a road show - 14th Roads and Highways Sustainable Technologies and Advancement [RAHSTA] Expo, which will be held from 9-10 October 2024 at Jio Convention Centre in Mumbai. RAHSTA is dedicated to the world of road construction equipment, technology and sustainability. Underscoring the need for specialised platforms like RAHSTA Expo for the burgeoning road construction industry, Vipin Sondhi, Chairman, RAHSTA Expo Committee and former Managing Director of Ashok Leyland and JCB, said, “The biggest opportunity in Indian infrastructure lies in road construction. With 6.3 million km, India has the second-largest road network in the world. National Highways has witnessed 58 per cent growth since 2013, a testament to India’s ambition. As per Interim budget 2024-25, the government will spend a record `11.11 trillion on infrastructure creation in 2024-25 to ensure India remains one of the world’s fastest growing major economies. In this backdrop, RAHSTA will play a crucial role in driving progress towards more resilient, inclusive, and environmentally sustainable transportation infrastructure.” In agreement with the need for such an expo, Ashish Kumar Singh, CGM - Finance, National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), said, “It [RAHSTA] will provide an excellent platform for capital goods, consultant firms, equipment companies and technology firms to converge. It also benefits older industries as new technology and equipment continuously enter the market. These advancements are often cost-effective and, at times, eco-friendly.” In a round-table discussion on the new BOT proposals, AK Singh, CGM – Finance, National Highway Authority of India, RK Pandey, former NHAI member and Member of RAHSTA Expo Committee, SK Nirmal, Secretary General, Indian Roads Congress and Member of RAHSTA Expo Committee, Professor Satish Pandey, Principal Scientist, CSIR-Central Road Research, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ankit Jain, CFO, Cube Highways Growth Advisors, Vijay Agrawal, Executive Director, Equirus Capital and Subodh Dixit, Former Executive Director, Shapoorji Pallonji, participated. Firm in the belief that the expo will offer extensive information about the latest technologies, Vinod Kumar Yadav, Director – Transport, NCC, and former Chairman, Railway Board said, “Currently, the challenge facing the roads industry is to uphold road quality and execute projects efficiently. RAHSTA will provide opportunities for everyone to learn about the latest worldwide technologies and equipment available, undoubtedly offering valuable insights to those involved in the sector.” Speaking of the wonderful work accomplished over the last decade, RK Pandey, ex-NHAI member and RAHSTA Expo Committee Member, added, “This progress will continue at the same pace. However, to maintain this momentum we need to make some improvements and sustain the rate of construction. We must focus on cost optimisation, sustainable development, and most importantly, building safe roads.” Regarding RAHSTA, he said, “We require a platform where all stakeholders can collaborate, which RAHSTA will provide, to achieve our goals.” The launch function at PHD Chamber was attended by the who’s who of the infrastructure industry such as Lt Gen Harpal Singh, President, International Road Federation and former Engineer-in-Chief, Indian Army, Akhilesh Srivastava, Road Safety Ambassador, International Road Federation, Sandeep Singh, MD, Tata Hitachi Construction Machinery, Rajesh Menon, Director General, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, Raman Kapil, President, Tata Projects, Anand Sundaresan, Director, Ammann India, Dheeraj Panda, MD, Ammann India, Rajan Aiyer, MD, Trimble, Satin Sachdeva, Founder and Secretary General, Construction Equipment Rental Association, Dr Swamy, Chairman, Institution of Civil Engineers and Dr Ranjeet Mehta, Executive Director of PHDCCI, among others. Perceiving the immense potential and opportunity for growth, Anand Sundaresan, Director, Ammann India, said, “We specialise in road construction machinery such as asphalt plants, concrete batching plants, pavers and rollers, among others. Additionally, we offer ancillary equipment like supers. With the government placing significant emphasis on infrastructure development, there is a substantial demand for road construction machinery. Particularly noteworthy is the growth witnessed in the last year (2023-2024), with a surge in orders. Moreover, the construction of airports is underway, necessitating equipment for runway construction.” “The expo will benefit all stakeholders by helping them understand the importance of these technologies in their respective fields and projects,” said Rajan Aiyer, Managing Director, Trimble, and added, “I eagerly anticipate active participation in the expo and the opportunity to share and gain knowledge on how construction can be enhanced using digital technologies.” Organised by the FCC, RAHSTA Expo 2024, which will be held as part of the 10th India Construction Festival, will help exhibitors showcase their construction machinery, building material machines, mining machines and construction vehicles to a targeted audience. It will be an ideal platform to connect with key decision-makers, generate leads and grow business in this rapidly-expanding market. Besides RAHSTA Expo 2024, the India Construction Festival 2024 will include the following: 14th India RAHSTA (Roads) Conference 12th Equipment India Awards 22nd Construction World Global Awards