Trial Run Held on Purunakatak-Boudh Rail Section

31 Mar 2025 CW Team

A 26.88 km section of the Khurda Road-Balangir railway line is set to be commissioned soon after Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) Brijesh Mishra inspected the new stretch between Purunakatak and Boudh and declared it fit for operations. With this, 239 km of the total 301 km line has now been completed. Indian Railways is executing the project from both the Khurda Road and Balangir ends to expedite construction.

CRS reviewed safety parameters of the newly laid track, signalling systems, and bridges. A light engine trial run was also conducted following the inspection. The new section features nine major bridges, two road overbridges (ROBs), 15 road underbridges (RUBs), and 35 minor bridges芒鈧€漚ll vital for safe operations. Construction on the remaining 62 km stretch between Purunakatak and Daspalla, which includes seven tunnels through forest and sanctuary areas, is progressing well. One major tunnel of 4.8 km has already been completed using advanced tunnelling methods. Originally sanctioned in 1995, the line aims to enhance connectivity and foster development in remote regions of Odisha.

Infrastructure Transport

16 May 2025

Vizhinjam Port Opens, Set to Boost India鈥檚 Trade Efficiency

Vizhinjam International Seaport, inaugurated on 2 May 2025, marks a pivotal step in India鈥檚 maritime ambitions. Located near Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, the deep-sea transshipment port is designed to significantly reduce India鈥檚 dependence on foreign ports for container transshipment.Positioned just 10 nautical miles from the key east鈥搘est shipping corridor and boasting a natural depth of 24 metres, Vizhinjam can accommodate ultra-large container vessels (ULCVs) without extensive dredging. This strategic location is expected to place the port at the heart of global maritime trade, improv..

Infrastructure Transport

16 May 2025

Port Giant Enters Freight to Challenge Global Logistics Firms

India鈥檚 largest private port operator is rapidly evolving from a port-centric business into a comprehensive logistics powerhouse, marking its formal entry into the international freight forwarding sector. This strategic shift is set to redefine cargo movement across India and position the company as a formidable rival to the global logistics multinationals that have long dominated the industry.With a commanding 45.5 per cent share in container handling at Indian ports, and a substantial presence across warehousing, rail freight, trucking, and air cargo, the group鈥檚 logistics arm has launch..

Infrastructure Urban

16 May 2025

Antfin to Sell 4% Paytm Stake for Rs 20.65 Bn

China鈥檚 Alibaba Group is set to pare down its stake in One 97 Communications, the parent company of Paytm, through an open market sale scheduled for Tuesday.According to sources, Antfin Netherlands Holding BV鈥攁n affiliate of Alibaba-backed Ant Group鈥攚ill offload 26 million shares, representing roughly 4 per cent equity in the Indian fintech firm.The floor price for the sale is pegged at Rs 809.75 per share, reflecting a 6.5 per cent discount to Monday鈥檚 closing price of Rs 866.35 on the BSE. At this minimum price, the sale is expected to generate around Rs 20.65 billion for the Chinese..