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Indian Express
3 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Of the three planned freight corridors, East-coast corridor is on the priority for approval: DFCCIL MD
As the last leg of Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) — Vaitarna to Jawaharlal Nehru Port Terminal — is nearing completion, the Dedicated freight corridor corporation of India limited (DFCCIL) is eyeing for the approval of new dedicated freight corridor projects and development of more Gati Shakti Multimodal terminals. Speaking on the sidelines of the Global Heavy Haul Seminar 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, Praveen Kumar, Managing Director, DFCCIL on Friday said the company will prioritise the East-coast corridor — Kharagpur in West Bengal to Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh — for approval, which is one of the three newly proposed corridors whose Detailed Project Report was submitted to the Ministry of Railways, and awaits sanction. 'The Ministry of Railways will take decisions on these projects. For sanctioning of these projects, we will prioritize the East-coast corridor, which runs from Kharagpur in West Bengal to Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh. After that, the decision on the approval of the East-West corridor (Kharagpur to Palghar) and the North-South corridor (Itarsi to Vijayawada) may be taken. It will require an investment of 4.5 lakh crore for these three corridors,' said Kumar. The last stretch of the 1,506 km long WDFC, from Dadri in Uttar Pradesh to JNPT (Navi Mumbai) will be commissioned by December, Kumar added. The 1,856 km long Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor from Ludhiana (Punjab) to Dakuni (West Bengal), is fully operational. 'Because of these two corridors the speed of trains have increased to about 45 to 50 km/h. While the speed of trains on other Indian Railways networks is 20-25km/h. Though our section and locomotives are capable of running 100 kmph, the speed of rolling stock (wagon) is limited. Western corridor has mostly container traffic and the Eastern corridor has mostly coal traffic. Because of deployment of new technology on the corridor, the transit time has reduced by almost 50 percent. The thermal power plants have also reduced their inventory because of trustworthy freight operation on these corridors,' said Kumar to The Indian Express. He further said that because freight has shifted to the DFCC network, the passenger service has also improved. 'The punctuality of adjoining railways such as North Central Railway (NCR), North Western Railway (NWR), Northern Railway, Eastern Railway and East Central Railway (ECR) has improved because there is no pressure for running freight trains on their network. Currently, we are running around 400 trains on DFCC and the potential is to run 480 trains once the JNPT is connected. Our total network is 4 percent of Indian Railways and we carry 13 percent of total Gross tonne-kilometres (GTKM),' said DFCCIL MD. Praveen Kumar also said that DFCCIL is taking up many business development projects and establishing Gati Shakti Multi-Modal terminal in a big way. 'We have commissioned four terminals so far and in this financial year, we are planning to commission six more terminals. We have a special scheme called Truck on Train (TOT). We have started carrying milk trucks from Palanpur in Gujarat to Rewari in Haryana. It will provide last mile connectivity. This traffic was earlier going on Highways,' said Kumar. Talking about the purpose of the seminar, MD Kumar said that experts from different countries shared technologies developed in the heavy haul sector and it will be implemented in DFCC to improve efficiency of the network. Dheeraj Mishra is a Principal correspondent with The Indian Express, Business Bureau. He covers India's two key ministries- Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Road Transport & Highways. He frequently uses the Right to Information (RTI) Act for his stories, which have resulted in many impactful reports. ... Read More
Time of India
07-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Flyover planned inside BU campus to ease traffic, ensure safety
Jnanabharathi campus We are considering a flyover inside campus to avoid inconveniencing students and public; banning vehicles isn't feasible Dr MC Sudhakar flyover proposal The state government is considering the construction of a dedicated flyover inside the Bangalore Universityto streamline traffic and ensure student safety by segregating public vehicles from internal campus across 1,200 acres, the Jnanabharathi campus has four major entry points, with the main gate linking Mysuru Road to Ullal Road. The Department of Higher Education has proposed a 2-kilometre-long flyover connecting these two roads. The aim is to facilitate smoother access for commuters while minimizing disruptions to academic life on to officials, the campus houses 54 departments and hosts thousands of students, many of whom reside in nearby hostels. The daily movement of public vehicles particularly during peak hours has led to increased air and noise pollution, traffic congestion, and a noticeable decline in the overall learning environment. A sharp rise in accidents has also raised alarms, including a tragic incident where a university student lost their life after being hit by a BMTC these concerns into account, the government has identified the flyover as a viable long-term solution. The Higher Education Department is currently in the process of preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR), which will outline the technical and financial aspects of the project. Once the DPR is complete, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will evaluate the cost and feasibility. Given the proposed length, officials expect the budget to be response to the fatal accident, the university had initially shut down operations for a brief period. Although public protests led to the reopening of campus gates during the day, night-time restrictions remain in place. Despite these measures, students have reported ongoing disturbances caused by public vehicles using the campus roads as a shortcut, especially the route connecting Mysuru Road to Ullal Main Road. Complaints include noise disruption, illegal parking, and interference with classes. Students have been urging the administration to ban public vehicles inside the campus entirely. Many have pointed out that unlike other large university campuses in India, Jnanabharathi remains unusually accessible to external these concerns, Higher Education Minister Dr MC Sudhakar said the government is seriously considering the. Vice-Chancellor Dr SM Jayakar added that while a complete vehicle ban isn't practical, the flyover would significantly ease congestion, improve safety, and help restore a conducive academic environment without cutting off public connectivity.
New Indian Express
02-06-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Telangana asks Centre to direct AP to restore RLIS site to pre-DPR stage
HYDERABAD: Telangana irrigation officials on Sunday urged the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) to direct the Andhra Pradesh government to immediately restore the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (RLIS) site to its pre-Detailed Project Report (DPR) stage. In a letter to the ministry, the officials also requested that either the MoEF&CC or the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) monitor daily activities at the RLIS site and submit fortnightly compliance reports to the National Green Tribunal (NGT). They pointed out that the NGT had stayed construction work on RLIS and constituted a joint committee to assess the situation. However, the Andhra Pradesh government allegedly continued construction in violation of the NGT order. The Telangana officials recalled that the joint committee, in its March 2024 report to the NGT, noted that the project proponent had undertaken works beyond DPR preparation. Excavation was reportedly completed up to 14.14% for the approach channel and 87.03% for the pump house and related works, totalling 18.18% of the proposed excavation. 'Self-certification not applicable' Since the works exceeded the scope of DPR preparation, the officials argued that self-certification by the project proponent, as discussed in the EAC's 25th meeting, was not applicable. They urged that this clause be removed from the EAC recommendations and replaced with a site inspection report by a competent authority. Reiterating their demand, the Telangana officials called for immediate restoration of the RLIS site to its pre-DPR stage to safeguard the legitimate rights of Telangana in the Krishna basin.
Hindustan Times
23-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Trying to undo damage caused by previous govt: AP CM Naidu
New Delhi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday said his government is trying to "rectify at the earliest" the damage caused by the previous YSRCP dispensation and that it would take a minimum of 10 years to bring the state back on track. Speaking to reporters here, Naidu said he met Union ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and Nirmala Sitharaman, and sought central support for the development of Andhra Pradesh. The Telugu Desam Party president also met New and Renewable Energy Minister Pralhad Joshi, Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil, and Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh. Naidu said his government is working to rebuild the state despite inheriting a massive debt burden of ₹1.20 lakh crore along with liabilities and payment dues of ₹9,094 crore. "On June 12, we will complete one year in office. We are trying to bring every department on track. Every department has been either derailed or has become defunct. There is no choice but to rebuild," the chief minister said. He claimed that the level of destruction inflicted on the state by the previous regime was unprecedented. "Such kind of destruction of a state has not happened in the past," he said. Despite the financial constraints, Naidu said his government is focusing on key projects, including the development of Amaravati as the state capital, completion of the Polavaram irrigation project, and revival of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant. The government is also working to attract domestic investment to fast-track development across the state, he added. Naidu said that in his meeting with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, he flagged the state's financial problem and sought funds for the Polavaram irrigation project as well as for the Polavaram-Banakacherla link project. The Polavaram irrigation project will be completed by 2027. There will be no compromise on speed and quality. The central government is also monitoring the progress of the project closely, he said. In a separate meeting with Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil, Naidu said he discussed the Polavaram-Banakacherla project. The CM said the river linking project would benefit millions in drought-hit areas and serve as a model for river-linking across India. The Detailed Project Report is expected by June 2025, Naidu said. He requested better coordination between the departments concerned to fast-track the project. He said the proposed project aims to divert surplus Godavari floodwater to drought-affected areas through a three-part water transfer system, including the Bollapalle reservoir. In his meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Naidu said he presented a strategic vision to position Andhra Pradesh as a national hub for defence manufacturing and aerospace innovation. The proposals included development of integrated defence facilities, revival of critical manufacturing units, support for indigenous aviation programmes, establishment of testing and training centres, and creation of thematic defence hubs. "We discussed a comprehensive roadmap for Andhra Pradesh to emerge as a cornerstone of India's defence and aerospace future. Grateful for his encouraging response and assurance of full support," the chief minister said in a post on X. In his meeting with New and Renewable Energy Minister Pralhad Joshi, Naidu requested the allocation of rooftop solar capacity under the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana and urged expediting approval of proposals submitted by the state's electricity distribution companies in January. "Had a fruitful meeting... With the Centre's support, we will reduce energy costs, empower our people, and lead India's clean energy transition," Naidu said on X. The chief minister has set a target of installing 20 lakh rooftop solar units by 2025. Under the scheme, SC/ST households will receive free rooftop solar systems while backward caste households will get ₹10,000 per kWp subsidy for up to 2 kWp installations. Andhra Pradesh's Clean Energy Policy 2024-29 targets an additional 72.6 GW of renewable energy, including 40 GW of solar power. In a meeting with Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh, Naidu sought support to transform the state into a pivotal hub for space manufacturing and innovation. The state's proposal outlined the development of two state-supported space cities, one near the ISRO SHAR spaceport and another near Lepakshi, to serve as integrated hubs for satellite production, launch vehicle development and industry collaboration. He also apprised the Union minister of the appointment of former ISRO chief S Somanath as the honorary adviser on space technology to the government of Andhra Pradesh. In his meeting with Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Naidu submitted a detailed letter outlining Andhra Pradesh's strategic role in advancing India's electronics manufacturing ecosystem. During the meeting, the CM appreciated the Union government's initiatives, especially the launch of the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme , which are pivotal to realising India's vision of becoming a global hub for electronics production. He highlighted Andhra Pradesh's readiness to complement this vision through robust policies like the Semiconductor Display Fab Policy and the Electronics Manufacturing Policy which offer fiscal incentives and plug-and-play infrastructure to investors.
The Hindu
09-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Water Resources Department initiates measures for desilting Amaravathy Dam after a gap of decades
The Water Resources Department is learnt to have drawn up an estimate of minimum expenditure on overheads for arriving at the 'revenue model' through selling the sediment in the Amaravathy Dam, in order to scale up the storage limit. The expenditure would be towards constructing the road till the location in the dam from where the sediment with high fertility value could be removed. Since the dam is located in the reserve forest area, the demand for the nutrient-rich sediment formed by the foliage washed down by jungle streams for decades will be quite high, according to officials. The current storage capacity of the dam is 4.047 tmc. 'With agricultural yields dropping down in large measures due to excessive use of fertilisers, enriching the soil with natural nutrients is the only way for farmers to sustain their livelihood,' Jegadeesh, a nature farmer belonging to Udumalpet said. The Water and Power Consultancy Services Limited (WAPCOS) has prepared a report based on which the department will be readying a Detailed Project Report through a consultant, a senior official of Water Resources Department said. An analysis by the department during 2017 indicated that the waterspread area had 22.8 million cubic metre of silt. The Tiruppur district administration had then notified removal of 1,31,400 cubic metre of silt in the first phase. The initiative to desilt the dam was taken in 2014, but had to be shelved due to intervention by the National Green Tribunal. The contention of the department was that new approval would not be necessary as desilting of the dam could be categorised under maintenance work and not any new project. But, it was not accepted by the National Green Tribunal. The consultancy appointed now for preparing the DPR has been entrusted with the responsibility of securing environmental approval, official sources added.
