New Delhi: The Union government’s digital governance platform Pragati, launched in 2015 under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has played a pivotal role in fast-tracking critical infrastructure projects across India, expediting execution worth an estimated ₹85 lakh crore, Union Cabinet Secretary T.V. Somanathan said on Friday. The platform, designed to address bureaucratic hurdles and inter-departmental coordination challenges, has resolved, on average, one project issue every working day since its inception, helping India overcome long-standing delays in critical development projects.

Speaking to reporters, Somanathan said that Pragati’s interventions have cut both time and cost overruns in some of the most complex and high-value infrastructure projects, many of which, without such oversight, could have stretched well into the 2030s. The platform functions as a digital interface allowing real-time monitoring, escalation, and resolution of issues related to projects worth ₹500 crore or more. It integrates multiple levels of government—from local authorities to state and central ministries—through a five-tier escalation mechanism, ensuring that obstacles are resolved swiftly, often at the level of the Prime Minister.

One of the most illustrative examples Somanathan cited was the Jammu-Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link, conceived in January 1994. This monumental project, costing ₹42,760 crore and spanning 272 kilometers through some of the most treacherous terrain in Jammu and Kashmir, was completed on June 6, 2025. According to simulations presented by the Cabinet Secretary, without Pragati’s intervention, the project could have realistically reached completion only by January 2038—a delay of nearly 13 years.

The rail link is an engineering marvel, featuring the world’s highest railway bridge over a gorge, with a deck height of 1,178 feet. It includes 38 tunnels spanning 119 kilometers and 943 bridges over deep ravines, all requiring extraordinary levels of coordination among various government agencies, contractors, and engineering teams. Somanathan stressed that the Pragati platform’s continuous monitoring and timely interventions significantly accelerated decision-making, ensuring timely commissioning.

“At the apex of the system, the Prime Minister chairs Pragati review meetings directly with chief secretaries of states and secretaries of central ministries to address issues in specific projects and schemes,” Somanathan said. In the 50th Pragati meeting held on Wednesday, the Prime Minister reviewed five critical infrastructure projects across five states, collectively valued at over ₹40,000 crore, highlighting the breadth and strategic importance of projects under the platform’s purview.

Infrastructure development in India has historically been plagued by cost overruns, delays, and administrative bottlenecks, particularly in the railway and road sectors. Analysis of 7,156 issues resolved through Pragati revealed that nearly three-fourths of the problems stemmed from land acquisition, forest clearances, and right-of-way disputes, underscoring the persistent challenges of project execution in a rapidly developing economy. By providing a structured mechanism for resolving these issues, Pragati has enabled the government to maintain momentum on high-value projects, often cutting years from projected completion timelines.

Somanathan outlined that the platform addresses three primary coordination challenges:

1. Horizontal coordination between central ministries, ensuring that departments involved in overlapping mandates communicate efficiently.
2. Vertical coordination among the Centre, states, and local governments, bridging gaps that often lead to delays in approvals and clearances.
3. Intra-state coordination issues, where multiple departments within a state government may struggle to align on project priorities, resources, and permissions.

By systematically tackling these challenges, Pragati has facilitated the smooth execution of more than 3,300 projects, ranging from railways and highways to power and urban infrastructure, he said. The platform has particularly excelled in escalating complex issues to the Prime Minister, where nearly 93% of the 3,187 issues spanning 382 projects were resolved, effectively accelerating project timelines and ensuring accountability at the highest levels of government.

The Pragati platform has had a tangible impact on India’s infrastructure spending. Capital expenditure has surged from ₹4.26 lakh crore in 2014-15 to an estimated ₹15.53 lakh crore in 2025-26, reflecting both an increase in government investment and the improved efficiency in executing large-scale projects. This growth in capital spending is widely attributed to Pragati’s ability to overcome procedural bottlenecks, allowing projects to proceed without delays that previously inflated costs and timelines.

The platform’s success also lies in its structured monitoring and review process. Projects are tracked continuously using a digital dashboard, which captures issues related to clearances, financial approvals, land acquisition, and contractor coordination. Each problem is assigned to the relevant officer, and its resolution is monitored through successive layers of escalation. This systematic approach ensures that no issue lingers unresolved for long, providing both transparency and accountability.

Somanathan highlighted the Pragati platform’s direct role in expediting projects that have strategic national importance. Beyond the Jammu-Srinagar rail link, the platform has overseen numerous projects in power, roads, and urban infrastructure, all of which were previously vulnerable to delays due to overlapping jurisdictions or cumbersome approval processes. By providing a forum where the Prime Minister directly engages with state and central officials, Pragati has created a sense of urgency and prioritisation that was previously missing.

“The platform has helped resolve, on average, one issue each working day,” Somanathan noted, illustrating the system’s consistent contribution to project execution. Such timely interventions not only accelerate project completion but also reduce the cost escalations that commonly plague large infrastructure ventures. The efficiency gains from Pragati are particularly critical for projects in challenging terrains or politically sensitive areas, where delays can lead to cascading economic and logistical impacts.

Somanathan also emphasized the role of technology in governance. By digitizing monitoring and creating a real-time database of issues and solutions, Pragati has transformed project governance from a reactive to a proactive model. Officials at multiple levels can now anticipate potential obstacles, intervene early, and ensure that projects proceed on schedule. This digital oversight is complemented by the platform’s five-tier escalation mechanism, which ensures that unresolved issues reach the appropriate level of authority without bureaucratic inertia.

Looking ahead, Pragati’s framework is expected to continue shaping India’s infrastructure trajectory. With increasing government investment in sectors like transportation, energy, and urban development, the platform’s ability to cut delays and streamline decision-making will remain crucial. By fostering coordination among central ministries, state governments, and local bodies, Pragati has not only accelerated project execution but has also instilled a culture of accountability and responsiveness in public administration.

In conclusion, the Pragati platform exemplifies how digital governance can directly influence the pace of national development. Since 2015, it has expedited infrastructure projects worth ₹85 lakh crore, resolved one issue every working day, and mitigated time and cost overruns that would otherwise have extended decades into the future. From the world’s highest railway bridge to strategic road and power projects, Pragati has ensured that India’s infrastructure ambitions translate into tangible outcomes, demonstrating the power of coordinated, technology-enabled governance in a rapidly evolving economy.