Road rage on deal street: changing landscape of highway construction

For the traditional contractor who started decades ago, road construction was a simple affair: get the theka (Hindi for contract) and rake in the moolah.

“We get the theka from the company and we do the work. That is it. We don’t really understand these buying and selling activities,” said a subcontractor who carries out minor road works in Ghaziabad’s Sahibabad area.

The larger players would be involved in slightly more complex contracts, but follow the same simple strategy.

Today, India’s massive infrastructure deficit and the need for significant financial infusions have led to the maturing of the highway

First print: May 14, 2024 | 12:31 pm IST