PNC Infratech did poor work on the new Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway. NHAI started non-performer proceedings and it won ₹3,483 crore in new projects on 16 July 2026. The reel calls this shocking favoritism but the award happened in April before the road failures showed.
Why we say that›
PNC Infratech won new NHAI projects weeks before its Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway failures became public.
All core facts check out from news reports and company filings. NHAI began action over poor quality and possible blacklisting on the expressway. The company is linked to BJP MP Naveen Jain through shareholding and family. The new contracts are real. The reel pushes the timeline and outrage to suggest clear wrongdoing or political favoritism that the record does not yet prove.
Based on only a few sources, so read this as a first look, not the last word.
The new projects were awarded in April 2026 when PNC Infratech was the lowest bidder. The major quality failures and NHAI action on the Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway became public only in late July 2026 after heavy rains.
Reported 8 Aug 2026
Claims
3 true · 4 unchecked
- True
PNC Infratech was declared an NHAI non-performer and blacklisting proceedings were started because of poor quality work on the Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway.
What's actually true
NHAI initiated proceedings to declare it a non-performer over construction lapses, imposed penalties and started possible blacklisting. The company says it is still at the show-cause stage and has not been debarred.
- True
PNC Infratech was awarded two large NHAI HAM highway projects in Uttar Pradesh worth about ₹3,500 crore.
What's actually true
The company received two HAM projects with a total bid project cost of exactly ₹3,483 crore.
- Couldn't check
The tender for the two NHAI highway projects was awarded to PNC Infratech on 16 July 2026.
What's actually true
Concession agreements were executed and the company issued a filing on 16 July 2026, but it had emerged as L1 bidder in April 2026, before the expressway quality problems appeared.
- Couldn't check
PNC Infratech issued a press release to stock exchanges on or about 16 July 2026 about winning two HAM projects worth ₹3,483 crore.
What's actually true
The company filed an official intimation with NSE/BSE on the exact date confirming the award.
- Couldn't check
In 2024 the CBI registered a case against certain directors of PNC Infratech and NHAI officials over bribery to secure contracts.
What's actually true
A 2024 CBI case exists involving bribery allegations on an earlier project. Investigations continue.
- Couldn't check
PNC Infratech has previously been fined ₹104 crore in an illegal mining case.
What's actually true
We couldn't verify this claim with a reliable source. No news reports or official records confirm a ₹104 crore fine for illegal mining. The claim appears only in social media mirrors of this reel.
- True
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Naveen Jain is a major shareholder of PNC Infratech, previously served as its Whole-Time Director, and the company is now managed by his brother Pradeep Jain.
What's actually true
Naveen Jain holds shares worth about ₹292 crore, was a promoter-group director until around 2017, and his brother Pradeep Jain is involved in current management.
The full story, from the sources›
In April 2026, the Company emerged as the L1 bidder for two HAM projects of National Highways Authority of India in Uttar Pradesh, with a combined Bid Project Cost of INR 3,483 crore. - NSE archives (company filing) (2026-05-27) PNC Infratech Ltd. 2,91,99,40,800 ~292 Crore+... Naveen Jain (BJP Rajya Sabha MP). - myneta.info (2024) Execution of concession agreements for Two New HAM Projects with National Highways Authority of India on July 16, 2026... total bid project cost of Rs. 3,483 crore. - Sharekhan (2025-05-08) In the affidavit, MP Naveen Jain has declared shares worth about Rs 292 crore of PNC Infratech... Naveen Kumar Jain is shown as a member of the promoter group in the annual report and shareholding records of PNC Infratech... his brother Pradeep Jain. - youtube.com (2026-01-01) NHAI on Wednesday initiated proceedings to declare PNC Infratech... a non-performing contractor following glaring lapses in the construction quality of the newly inaugurated corridor... also imposed a financial penalty on the company, downgraded its performance rating, and directed it to fully restore all damaged stretches. - The Times of India (2026-08-05)
From primary sources · reporting
What else it leaves out (1)›
- NHAI has also chargesheeted its own officials for poor supervision and has ordered an IIT Kharagpur technical probe. The company says affected stretches are under 1 km and are being repaired at its cost.
How it's framed (3)›
Sources (7)›
NHAI on Wednesday initiated proceedings to declare PNC Infratech... a non-performing contractor following glaring lapses in the construction quality of the newly inaugurated corridor... also imposed a financial penalty on the company, downgraded its performance rating, and directed it to fully restore all damaged stretches
PNC Infratech Ltd has clarified that it has neither been debarred nor declared a 'non-performer by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), stating that the matter relating to the Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway is presently at the showcause notice stage
The NHAI initiated action against the company over repeated quality issues on the expressway and has reportedly declared it a 'non-performer, with the process of possible blacklisting underway. Despite this, the company recently secured two major highway projects from NHAI
Execution of concession agreements for Two New HAM Projects with National Highways Authority of India on July 16, 2026... total bid project cost of Rs. 3,483 crore
In April 2026, the Company emerged as the L1 bidder for two HAM projects of National Highways Authority of India in Uttar Pradesh, with a combined Bid Project Cost of INR 3,483 crore
PNC Infratech Ltd. 2,91,99,40,800 ~292 Crore+... Naveen Jain (BJP Rajya Sabha MP)
In the affidavit, MP Naveen Jain has declared shares worth about Rs 292 crore of PNC Infratech... Naveen Kumar Jain is shown as a member of the promoter group in the annual report and shareholding records of PNC Infratech... his brother Pradeep Jain
About this account›
- Breaking 360 regularly posts infrastructure and political accountability content, often highlighting alleged cronyism involving ruling-party figures.
Notes on this check (6)›
- The illegal mining fine claim returned no supporting news sources in searches.
- Parts of the audio did not transcribe cleanly.
- Dropped 2 support citation(s) for "PNC Infratech was awarded two large NHAI HAM highway proj…" because the cited passages do not address the claim directly.
- Dropped 2 support citation(s) for "The tender for the two NHAI highway projects was awarded …" because the cited passages do not address the claim directly.
- Dropped 2 support citation(s) for "PNC Infratech issued a press release to stock exchanges o…" because the cited passages do not address the claim directly.
- Dropped 1 support citation(s) for "In 2024 the CBI registered a case against certain directo…" because the cited passages do not address the claim directly.
Checked against 6 sources · 8 Aug 2026
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