Published on: Feb 25, 2013 by Aparna Dutt Sharma, Chief Executive Officer, IBEF

The successful test run of India’s first monorail in Mumbai during the past week was yet another landmark in the continuously improving infrastructure in the country. With the monorail gaining acceptance as a mode for commuting in India, it is just a matter of time before it makes its way to other metropolitan cities.

The 19.54 km Mumbai monorail network is the second largest in the world. The 8.80 km long first phase of the project, between Wadala and Chembur, is expected to be open to public in August 2013. Each four-compartment train will have a carrying capacity of 480 passengers.

While the monorail is expected to make commuting easier in a congested city like Mumbai, the fact that Railways plan to complete the Chenab bridge in Jammu and Kashmir by 2016, making it the world’s highest rail bridge is yet another example of the giant leaps India is taking in order to improve the infrastructure in the country. India is expected to attract an investment of US$ 1 trillion in infrastructure in the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17), according to the Planning Commission.

Clearly, initiatives like the Mumbai monorail network and the Chenab Bridge are steps in the right direction. The opportunities in the infrastructure sector offer tremendous scope for growth to domestic and international companies alike.