Geophysicist says India's infrastructure under-invests in subsurface investigation

In an interview published by Geospatial World on 30 October 2026, Dr Sanjay Rana, managing director of PARSAN Overseas and chairman of Aqua Foundation, argues that subsurface investigation in India gets less attention and funding than the roads, metro lines and buildings that rest on the ground.

Drawing on his work with the Indian Roads Congress, the Bureau of Indian Standards and the Tunnelling Association of India, he assesses how well the sector understands what lies beneath its projects and where efforts to close the awareness gap should begin. He also sets out what geophysics offers policymakers, developers and the public.

The conversation closes on how rapid urbanisation, climate change and rising energy demand are putting pressure on India's underground infrastructure and natural resources, and on the priorities needed to prepare the country's subsurface ecosystem.

Why it matters: Ground uncertainty drives cost and delay in large projects, and geophysics can reduce it early. The case made for India applies to other fast-urbanising regions, including parts of Africa, though the interview itself is India-focused.