The　unsustainable　urbanization　process,　weak　transportation　infrastructure　and　low　industrial　structure　in　densely　populated　Asian　countries　(Pakistan,　China,　Indonesia,　India　and　Bangladesh)　have　caused　direct　contamination　to　the　environment　and　unsustainable　growth.　Thus,　this　study　scrutinizes　the　influence　of　industrial　value　addition,　transportation　infrastructure　and　urbanization　on　ecological　footprint　and　economic　boom　in　specific　densely　populated　Asian　countries.　However,　due　to　the　cross-sectional　dependence　and　heterogeneity　issues　of　panel　data,　the　second-generation　AMG,　CCEMG　and　MG　procedures　are　followed　for　the　period　from　1985　to　2022.　The　results　show　that　transportation　infrastructure,　urbanization　and　industrial　structure　strongly　induce　long-term　ecological　footprint.　However,　in　the　long　term,　ecological　footprint　is　likely　to　compress　as　renewable　energy　consumption　increases.　Renewable　energy　consumption　has　a　weak　progressive　influence　on　gross　domestic　product,　while　urbanization,　transportation　infrastructure,　industrial　structure　and　ecological　footprint　have　a　strong　progressive　impact　on　gross　domestic　product.　As　the　analysis　succinctly　points　out,　institutional　quality　has　a　strong　moderating　effect　on　the　mitigation　of　environmental　contamination　through　renewable　energy　utilization　in　the　long　run.　Moreover,　institutional　quality　can　effectively　reverse　the　impact　of　transportation　infrastructure,　urbanization　and　industrial　value　addition　on　ecological　footprint　from　gradual　to　negative.　Finally,　threshold　level　estimates　suggest　that　the　baseline　regressors　can　sufficiently　penetrate　the　level　of　institutional　quality　to　affect　ecological　footprint.　Based　on　the　empirical　analysis　of　the　current　study,　important　policy　implications　for　achieving　the　Sustainable　Development　Goals　(SDGs)　in　densely　populated　Asian　countries　are　proposed.　©　The　Author(s)　2025.