High-rise buildings are complex, high risk, and multi-contractor projects which are prone to construction delays. Construction delays lead to time overrun, affect the total duration of the project, are expensive and could result in litigation. High-rise buildings are a common sight in the major cities of India (especially Mumbai) due to their limited footprints. There are about 1200 high-rise and 1000 mid-rise buildings in Mumbai alone. In 2009 a total of 9 high-rise buildings were constructed in Mumbai. Construction delays are prevalent in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry. High-rise buildings are expensive undertakings, and delays in their completion could result in significant financial losses. A high-rise project management organization must be able to identify the causes of delays, estimate their impact and take the necessary action to eliminate them, if possible. This research work employed both literature review, and analysis of structured questionnaire surveys administered. Analysis of the survey results was to investigate the causes and severity of construction delays in high-rise buildings in India. A comparison was made between construction delays in the United States and India. The results would educate construction engineers of the differences between the United States and other potential international project sites.
