Construction needs are growing around the world and so is the size of projects. Here are some of the largest and most expensive megaprojects around the world still being built.

1. of the
Under Construction
World’s Largest
Megaprojects

2. Delhi-Mumbai
Industrial Corridor
Location: India
Expected Cost: $100 billion
Expected Completion Date: 2019 (phase I)
Key details:
• Industrial development project between
Delhi and Mumbai
• Project is anticipated to fuel India’s economic
growth for the next 20-30 years
15 of the World’s Largest Megaprojects Under Construction
Representative image: dmicdc.com

3. Japan’s Maglev
High-Speed Rail -
Chuo Shinkansen
Location: Japan
Expected Cost: $82 billion
Expected Completion Date: 2020
Key details:
• New train will connect Tokyo and Nagoya
• Japan’s new maglev will become the fastest
train in the world at 374 mph
15 of the World’s Largest Megaprojects Under Construction
Photo: Saruno Hirobano, Image flipped horzontally, Wikipedia,
CC BY-SA 3.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

4. Jubail II
Location: Saudi Arabia
Expected Cost: $80 billion
Expected Completion Date: 2024
Key details:
• The project will be the largest civil
engineering project of the world
• Currently, the project hosts the world’s largest
Independent Water and Power Project (IWPP)
15 of the World’s Largest Megaprojects Under Construction
Photo: Bechtel, Jubail II

5. California High
Speed Rail
Location: US
Expected Cost: $67 billion
Expected Completion Date: 2029
Key details:
• New train would link Los Angeles and San
Francisco in 2 hours and 40 minutes
• The system will eventually extend to
Sacramento and San Diego, totaling 800 miles
and up to 24 stations
15 of the World’s Largest Megaprojects Under Construction
Representative image: California High-Speed Rail Authority

6. Dubailand
Location: UAE
Expected Cost: $64 billion
Expected Completion Date: 2019
Key details:
• The project will cover 3 billion sq ft.
• The park will feature state-of-the-art sporting
facilities as well as theme parks, eco-tourism
resorts, shopping and recreation venues
15 of the World’s Largest Megaprojects Under Construction
Photo: Acp~commonswiki, Wikipedia, Dubailand from Helicopter on March 7th 2006, selfmade
photograph, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en

7. South to North Water
Transfer Project
Location: China
Expected Cost: $62 billion
Expected Completion Date: 2050
Key details:
• The project will divert 44.8 billion cubic
meters of water annually from the Yangtze
River in the south to the Yellow River Basin
in northern China
• The diversion project was first proposed in
1952 by late chairman Mao Zedong and
took 50 years to commence
15 of the World’s Largest Megaprojects Under Construction
Nsbdgc, Wikipedia, The starting point of the Central Route of the South–North Water
Transfer Project. Looking “upstream”, toward the Danjiangkou Reservoir, from which the
water is coming CC BY-SA 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en

8. International
Business District
(IBD) in Songdo
Location: South Korea
Expected Cost: $40 billion
Expected Completion Date: 2020
Key details:
• Smart and sustainable city connected to
the Incheon International Airport
• With 106 buildings and 22 million sq ft.
of LEED-certified space, the project will
make up about 40% of all LEED-certified
space in South Korea
15 of the World’s Largest Megaprojects Under Construction
Photo: Ken Eckert, Ph.D., M.A., Wikipedia, A view of buildings from a bridge in Central Park, Songdo IBD, Incheon, Korea,
CC BY-SA 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en

9. New Cairo
Capital
Location: Egypt
Expected Cost: $45 billion
Expected Completion Date: 2022
Key details:
• The mega development project will serve
as Egypt’s new administrative capital
• If successfully built, it will be the biggest
purpose-built capital in human history, in
terms of population
15 of the World’s Largest Megaprojects Under Construction
Photo: Egyptian Housing Ministry

10. International
Thermonuclear
Experimental
Reactor (ITER)
Location: France
Expected Cost: $25 billion
Expected Completion Date: 2027
Key details:
• An international nuclear fusion research
and engineering project, which will be the
world’s largest magnetic confinement plasma
physics experiment
• A joint-funded project by the EU, Switzerland,
China, India, Japan, South Korea, Russia
and US
15 of the World’s Largest Megaprojects Under Construction
Photo: United States government work

11. London Crossrail
Project
Location: UK
Expected Cost: $21 billion
Expected Completion Date: 2018
Key details:
• A new high frequency and capacity rail-
way in London
• As Europe’s biggest infrastructure project,
the project will add 13 miles of new twin
tunnels below central London
15 of the World’s Largest Megaprojects Under Construction
Photo: Estates Gazette, EG Focus, Flickr, Views from Centrepoint - Tottenham Court Road Crossrail work,
CC BY 2.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en

12. Hudson Yards
Location: US
Expected Cost: $20 billion
Expected Completion Date: 2024
Key details:
• Large-scale redevelopment program
planned to expand New York City’s
Midtown Manhattan Business District
to the Hudson River
• 12 million sq ft. of new office, residential
and retail space
15 of the World’s Largest Megaprojects Under Construction
Photo: Aladdin McDuffie, Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en

13. Masdar City
Location: UAE
Expected Cost: $22 billion
Expected Completion Date: 2030
Key details:
• A planned city project in Abu Dhabi designed
to be a hub for cleantech companies
• Compared to a conventional urban
community, energy usage will be reduced
by 75% in Masdar City
15 of the World’s Largest Megaprojects Under Construction
Representative image: Nrman Foster, Masdar City rendering, CC BY 2.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

14. Hong Kong-Zhuhai-
Macao Bridge
Location: Hong Kong
Expected Cost: $15.9 billion
Expected Completion Date: 2018
Key details:
• A complex sea-crossing project that
connects Hong Kong and Macau
• The bridge will be the longest bridge
built over sea in the world and the
tunnel will be the longest underwater
road tunnel in the world
15 of the World’s Largest Megaprojects Under Construction
Photo: Wing1990hk, Wikipedia, Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge Site,
CC BY 3.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

15. Istanbul New Airport
Location: Turkey
Expected Cost: $13 billion
Expected Completion Date: 2018
Key details:
• Planned as the largest airport in the
world when it’s opened, with 150 million
annual passengers
• The new airport will replace İstanbul
Atatürk Airport
15 of the World’s Largest Megaprojects Under Construction
Representative image: igairport.com

16. Beijing Daxing
International Airport
Location: China
Expected Cost: $11.7 billion
Expected Completion Date: 2019
Key details:
• When completed, it will be the world’s
largest international airport, surpassing
Istanbul New Airport
• The airport will be the world’s busiest in
terms of passenger traffic at full capacity
15 of the World’s Largest Megaprojects Under Construction
Photo: 京局京段, Wikipedia, Model of Beijing New Airport at the Five-Year Achievements Exhibition ,
CC BY-SA 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/