India is currently one of the fastest-growing economies in the world and the construction industry alone accounted for approximately 10% of its GDP in 2014. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) classifies waste generated from the Construction and Demolition (C&D) of buildings and civil infrastructure as construction and demolition waste (CDW). The CPCB has estimated solid waste generation in India to be around 48 million tonnes per annum of which the construction industry accounts for approximately 25%. However, this estimate of 12-15 million tonnes of CDW is widely considered dated and a significant underestimate; but no updated comprehensive estimate for the country exists. In India, although some valuables are recovered from CDW and some of it is used for filling, most of it gets disposed in landfills or through unauthorised dumping in low-lying areas, open spaces, roadsides or water bodies creating enormous nuisance and environmental problems. India requires a paradigm shift from a dumping based approach to utilising CDW efficiently. CDW can be recycled to replace natural building material; this is not only beneficial for the environment but also results in substantial cost and resource savings.