Skills Development Challenges in India’s Booming Roads Infrastructure Sector

India aspires to achieve a GDP of $ 5 trillion by 2025 (PTI, 2019). To achieve this, India needs to spend about $ 1.4 trillion on infrastructure (Invest India, n.d.). In view of the huge anticipated investments in the roads sector, skills development in this sector is more critical than ever before for India. Roads and Bridges Sector projects are facing acute shortage of certified skilled workers in different skill trades for various specialised operations. India's road construction sector needs to transform by use of innovative technology and skill upgrades without any further delays. Unfortunately, most ongoing skilling initiatives are focused mainly on the usual century old mindset of training real estate related skill trades such as training of masons, plumbers, carpenters, bar benders and electricians rather than road sector specific specialised skill trades. The immediate challenge is to be in readiness with all the pre-requisites such as skilled work force, institutions and technology and adequate funding. A lack of these requirements may become a binding constraint on the achievement of India's aspirational dream. The Indian Roads Congress IRC:SP:92-2010 “Road Map for Human Resource Development in Highway Sector” delineates training needs in the roads sector and outlines how the same is to be imparted within the overall ambit of organizational development before the challenges of future demands. This paper highlights that a two-pronged approach could be adopted to make this transformation happen. First, is to align skills training to upcoming needs of the roads sector needs, and secondly to ensure that the resources for implementing relevant strategy are available through efforts such as Public-Private Partnerships. This Paper is an update and in continuation of the earlier Paper by the author, “Road Sector–Skills Development Strategy”, Journal of Indian Roads Congress, October–December 2010” (Gupta, 2010).

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/1790571
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Abstract reprinted with permission from the publisher.
• Authors:
  • Gupta, Mukesh C
  • Gupta, Shailly
• Publication Date: 2022-2

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 28-37
• Serial:
  • Indian Highways
  • Volume: 50
  • Issue Number: 2
  • Publisher: Indian Roads Congress
  • ISSN: 0376-7256

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Certification; Infrastructure; Jobs; Public private partnerships; Road construction workers; Roads; Training; Transportation careers
• Geographic Terms: India
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Education and Training; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01836204
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 22 2022 10:27AM