Five years of PM GatiShakti: PM GatiShakti National Master Plan evolves into a wider infrastructure planning framework

WHAT IS THE NEWS? A PIB press note (12 October 2026) marks five years of PM GatiShakti National Master Plan (PMGS‑NMP). The note explains the plan’s evolution from a GIS mapping platform to a national planning framework that supports integrated infrastructure planning across sectors and jurisdictions. KEY FACTS - PM GatiShakti launched on 13 October 2021; as of 12 October 2026 the National Master Plan covers 58 Central Ministries/Departments and all 36 States & UTs. ([pib.gov.in]( - The public platform provides access to 230 approved datasets and, as of 12 October 2026, over 23,493 data layers. ([pib.gov.in]( - Institutional architecture: Empowered Group of Secretaries (EGoS) chaired by Cabinet Secretary; Network Planning Group (NPG); Technical Support Unit (TSU). NPG had evaluated 396 projects (total estimated cost ~₹18.66 lakh crore) as of 11 August 2026 — 256 projects sanctioned, 198 under implementation. ([pib.gov.in]( - Complementary steps: establishment of Integrated Transport & Logistics Authority (ITLA) approved by Cabinet for long‑term transport planning; Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP) and Logistics Data Bank (LDB) for digital logistics integration (ULIP connected 46 government systems via 142 APIs as of July 2026). ([pib.gov.in]( - Capacity building: Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya (GSV) established to provide education, research and training; reported to have trained over 2.4 lakh officers (as of July 2026). ([pib.gov.in]( WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? - Integrated planning: PM GatiShakti aims to remove sectoral silos, facilitate multimodal connectivity and improve project appraisal/clearance by visualising overlapping infrastructure, land use and environmental constraints. - Economic impact: improved coordination can reduce delays, acquisition/clearance conflicts, optimise alignments, lower costs and reduce environmental impacts — the note gives project examples (e.g., Pune–Bengaluru Expressway alignment changes reducing forest overlap, estimated fuel and emissions savings). ([pib.gov.in]( - Policy & governance significance: creation of institutional mechanisms (EGoS, NPG, TSU) plus digital tools shows an approach to embed data‑driven decision making in national infrastructure governance. UPSC PRELIMS ANGLE - Facts to remember: launch date (13 Oct 2021), coverage (58 Central Ministries; 36 States/UTs), public datasets (230), institutional bodies (EGoS, NPG, TSU), and the existence of Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya. UPSC MAINS ANGLE - Evaluate the successes and limits of digital/geo‑spatial platforms in infrastructure governance; discuss institutional reforms (EGoS/NPG/TSU) and whether they address coordination failures in federal project delivery. - Write on infrastructure as a driver of development (Viksit Bharat): use PM GatiShakti as a case study to discuss integration of transport, logistics, energy and industrial nodes, and implications for sustainable development and land/environmental governance. - Critically examine data‑access and transparency: who accesses the platform, privacy/security of geospatial data, and the balance between regulated private access and national security concerns. KEY TAKEAWAYS - PM GatiShakti has moved from a mapping tool to an institutionalised planning framework combining geospatial data, project appraisal and cross‑Ministry coordination. ([pib.gov.in]( - The initiative is relevant for questions on infrastructure governance, federal coordination, digital public infrastructure, and logistics/transport policy in UPSC mains and prelims.