Nagpur: Infrastructure experts from India and abroad will converge in Nagpur on Oct 3-4 to discuss the next phase of development across Asia, with deliberations covering bullet trains, mega bridges, tunnels, airports, metros and low-carbon construction.The two-day Asian Scenario on Infrastructural Development (ASID 2026), organised by Indian Concrete Institute (ICI), Nagpur Centre from 11 am on Saturday, will bring together govt representatives, infrastructure professionals, engineers, researchers and academicians at a hotel on Wardha Road.Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari will be the chief guest at the conference, which will examine emerging technologies and approaches to building infrastructure that is sustainable, resilient and capable of meeting long-term requirements.The technical programme will cover projects and technologies including bullet trains, the world’s longest ultra-high-performance fibre-reinforced concrete (UHPFRC) bridge, tall buildings, Missing Link project, Zojila Tunnel, Malaiya and Navi Mumbai international airports and metro systems. Experts will also discuss net-zero and carbon-neutral infrastructure, durability and the challenges of sustainable infrastructure development.Among the speakers are Prof Mahesh Tandon, chairman of Tandon Consultants and past president of ICI; Dr Pradeep Ramancharala, director of Central Building Research Institute; Prof Anurag Misra, director of NIT Srinagar; Prof Manu Santhanam of IIT Madras; Dr Stephen Foster, honorary president of International Federation for Structural Concrete; and Prof K V L Subramaniam of IIT Hyderabad.International participation includes Dr Voo Yen Lei of Malaysia, Dr Stephen Foster of Sydney, Er Florian Krenn of Geoconsult and architect Tim Fu of London.The conference will also feature a technical exhibition showcasing construction materials, equipment, structural technologies and other infrastructure solutions. Young engineers, researchers and students will have an opportunity to interact with senior professionals and gain exposure to emerging technologies and contemporary engineering practices.Selected high-quality papers presented at the conference will be considered for publication in a special issue of an American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) journal, the organisers said.The programme will also include ICI’s national awards, annual general meeting, general council meeting and installation of its new team.The conference is being organised under the leadership of ICI national president-elect Manoj Kawalkar, principal convener; ICI governing council member Hitendra Chandewar, convener; and ICI Nagpur Centre chairman Swapneel Satone, organising secretary.The programme will also include ICI’s national awards, annual general meeting, general council meeting and installation of its new team.The conference is being organised under the leadership of ICI national president-elect Manoj Kawalkar, principal convener; ICI governing council member Hitendra Chandewar, convener; and ICI Nagpur Centre chairman Swapneel Satone, organising secretary.
