The Bauma Conexpo show, bC India, to be held from 5 to 8 February 2013 at the Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai, India, is expecting higher participation from construction companies as new highway projects boost the Indian construction industry.

The show's 2011 premiere attracted 508 companies from 36 countries and close to 25,000 trade visitors from 71 countries. Next year, the show, spread over 150,000 sqm (1,614,587 sqft.), will host around 700 exhibitors and about 40,000 visitors from India and its neighbouring countries.

After a slowdown in road projects last year, the road construction sector in India has picked up in 2012. The National Highways Authority of India awarded about 4,375 km (2,719 mi.) of roads in the first nine months of 2012, compared to 4,553 km (2,829 mi.) during 2011, 3,338 km (2,074 mi.) during 2010 and 643 km (400 mi.) in 2009. The third quarter of 2012 saw about 1,898 km (1,179 mi.) of projects being awarded.

The new road projects are part of the USD70 billion National Highways Development Program aimed at developing 50,000 km (31,068 mi.) of national highways in seven phases by 2015.

Phase I & II comprise 14,145 km (8,798 mi.) of highway upgrading between the four metropolitan cities - Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata - connecting Srinagar with Kanyakumari, Silchar with Porbandar, 12 major ports and several other important national highways.

bC India, International Trade Fair for Construction Machinery, Building Material Machines, Mining Machines and Construction Vehicles, is a joint venture between Messe München International (MMI) and the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM).

MMI is one of the world's leading trade show companies. It organises around 40 trade shows for capital and consumer goods, and key high-tech industries in Munich alone.

The North American AEM represents over 850 companies in the agriculture, construction, forestry, mining and utility sectors.