The Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Kolkata is implementing measures to cut vessel turnaround time from five to four days within a year. Chairman Rathendra Raman announced upgrades including eight mobile harbour cranes, floating cranes at Sagar Island, and night navigation to improve efficiency. Dredging is underway to boost draft levels, while new lock gates will ease congestion at Kolkata and Haldia ports. Capacity is set to rise from 87.5 million tonnes by an additional 30 million. Warehousing projects under the Sagarmala framework, along with the upcoming Balagarh facility, aim to enhance cargo handling, reduce delays, and strengthen the region's maritime connectivity.Read more

Gurugram's planning authorities have intensified action against illegal colonies and unauthorised structures, demolishing violations in Palam Vihar, Carterpuri, Mubarikpur, and Iqbalpur. In Palam Vihar, a departmental store operating in a stilt parking area was sealed, while Carterpuri saw the removal of illegal boundary walls, roads, and kiosks linked to unauthorised plot sales. Officials are also addressing breaches within licensed housing societies, where some RWAs have altered common areas in violation of the Haryana Apartment Ownership Act. Repeat offenders may face administrator appointments. The crackdown is part of a wider enforcement push, including measures against forest land encroachments and misuse of residential properties.Read more

Maharashtra Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis stated that inadequate tendering processes remain a leading cause of incomplete infrastructure projects in the state. Speaking at a workshop in Pune, he stressed the importance of evaluating contractor capacity before awarding tenders and adopting a thorough, 360-degree approach at the planning stage. While Maharashtra has seen success in executing large-scale projects over the past decade, a significant portion remains unfinished, underscoring the need for accountability, inter-departmental coordination, and strategic planning from conception to completion.Read more

The government has approved the four-laning of the Marakkanam-Puducherry section of National Highway 332A in Tamil Nadu at a total cost of INR 2,157 crore. The project, covering about 46 kilometres, is aimed at easing congestion, improving safety, and enhancing connectivity between key towns and cities including Chennai, Puducherry, Viluppuram, and Nagapattinam. It will link major highways, state roads, ports, airports, and railway stations, fostering economic growth, tourism, trade, and industrial development while generating significant employment opportunities in the region.Read more

Visakhapatnam is set to witness significant growth in its information technology sector, as five companies, including Sify and Phenom People, have committed to establishing data centre operations in the city. The Andhra Pradesh government, earlier this week, approved land allotments for these companies, which have proposed a collective investment of INR 19,000 crore. These projects are expected to generate large-scale employment opportunities, positioning Visakhapatnam as a key player in India's digital infrastructure ecosystem. Authorities consider this initiative a pivotal step towards expanding the state's digital economy and supporting the broader vision of a technology-driven urban landscape.Read more

Kartavya Bhavan, the first among ten modern Common Central Secretariat buildings, was officially inaugurated this past week, marking an important step in India's administrative overhaul under the Central Vista Redevelopment Plan. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi emphasized the government's push for citizen-first, transparent governance and highlighted the need to move beyond outdated colonial-era infrastructure. He underscored the Bhavan's role as a symbol of national resolve and a functional hub for policy-making in line with India's ambitions of becoming self-reliant and globally competitive.Read more

Gurugram's municipal body will build three new construction and demolition (C&D) waste plants to tackle rising environmental concerns. A major facility is planned near the Global City project, with two smaller ones at Bandhwari and Begumpur Khatola. This follows state directives to address daily and legacy waste management. Currently, the Basai plant handles only 300 of the 1,500-2,000 tonnes generated daily, leading to illegal dumping-particularly near the Aravallis. With a doubled waste management budget of INR 20 crore, officials aim to have the new plants running before the next monsoon. The expansion will ease Basai's load and significantly improve recycling and compliance.Read more

The Goa government has extended the deadline for regularising unauthorised constructions by two more years, providing relief to hundreds of property owners across the state. The decision was made earlier this week following mounting requests from citizens who cited delays in documentation and procedural formalities. The scheme, which permits the legalisation of constructions built before a certain cut-off date, had witnessed a sluggish response due to various administrative hurdles. The government stated that the extension would allow affected individuals a fair opportunity to comply with the regularisation process without facing undue penal action or demolition risks.Read more

About 1,500 students in the English-medium section of a Colaba municipal school have been shifted to virtual classes, following a BMC infrastructure team's ruling that two school buildings are structurally unsafe. While approximately 1,300 students from other language sections were relocated to nearby schools, English-medium students remain online due to lack of space. Parents and activists are urging phased demolition and interim solutions. Authorities continue exploring options, including rentals, amid mounting pressure to restore classrooms.Read more

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is preparing to send a fresh recommendation to the state government on granting heritage status to Savarkar Sadan in Dadar, following a directive from the Bombay High Court. This development comes after it was revealed that earlier files related to the 2010 heritage tag proposal were destroyed in the 2012 Mantralaya fire. A PIL filed by Abhinav Bharat Congress raised concerns about possible redevelopment and the delay in heritage notification. The court has now stayed any construction on the site and has sought an affidavit from the civic body.Read more

Earlier this week, IIT-Bombay's Environmental Status Report for the 2024-25 period prepared for the Panvel City Municipal Corporation (PCMC) highlighted the lack of water quality monitoring in the Taloja and Kasardi rivers by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), citing their non-drinking usage. The report advised PCMC against approving housing developments near the dumping ground and Taloja MIDC. It also called for sustainable waste-to-energy solutions, better sewage disposal, and rigorous action to monitor and control industrial discharge into local water bodies.Read more

In an effort to prevent structural mishaps during the monsoon, Jaipur's municipal bodies initiated the demolition of nine buildings deemed critically unsafe. The civic action, which took place earlier this week, followed repeated notices to property owners who failed to respond. A broader inspection of the city revealed widespread civic issues such as blocked drains, encroachments, and deteriorating infrastructure. The authorities are now focused on sealing, vacating, or removing dangerous buildings, while also addressing sanitation and public safety concerns across key city zones in both Jaipur Heritage and Greater areas.Read more

In a significant push towards urban transformation, the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) approved a series of building bylaw amendments and housing initiatives during a board meeting held this past week. The decisions included permitting housing development on government roads narrower than nine metres, launching group housing projects, and shifting commercial land allotment to a first-come, first-served model. Other proposals sanctioned include a modern transport terminal at Charbagh, e-vehicle charging stations, and digital preservation of land records. Affordable housing continues to be a key priority, with registrations underway for nearly 1,832 units.Read more

NBCC (India) Ltd, a government-owned construction and project management firm, has secured a major contract worth nearly INR 103 crore from the Lokpal of India. The project involves comprehensive infrastructure work including repairs, retrofitting, and interior upgrades for Lokpal's office located in Vasant Kunj, South Delhi. The work order was formalized under a new agreement signed between both entities earlier this week. The project cost, excluding GST, is pegged at INR 102.97 crore.Read more

A parliamentary panel has urged the Ministry of Corporate Affairs to establish a dedicated ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) oversight body to actively combat greenwashing and penalize fraudulent ESG claims. This recommendation is part of a broader call to amend the Companies Act, 2013, to explicitly integrate ESG objectives into the fiduciary duties of company directors. The committee also recommended creating a transparent oversight system for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and strengthening institutions like the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) to tackle financial crimes.Read more

Mumbai's civic body is planning to demolish the MTNL flyover in Goregaon to facilitate seamless connectivity between the upcoming Coastal Road (North) and the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR). The flyover, linking Mindspace to Dindoshi Court, stands in the path of the planned transition to GMLR tunnels. While officials say the move will improve east-west mobility, locals and politicians are divided-some worry about worsening traffic, especially towards Malad and Marve, while others criticise the demolition of a functional, decade-old structure as poor planning. The controversy echoes the earlier removal of Bandra's skywalk for Metro Line 2B.Read more

The Bombay High Court has stayed the implementation of a 2023 Maharashtra government resolution that made it compulsory for all new building projects to include a telecom room to receive development permissions. The order came in response to a petition by the Maharashtra Chamber of Housing Industry (MCHI), which argued that such a rule required a formal amendment to the city's Development Plan and not just a government order. The court accepted this argument and clarified that such planning changes need to go through a legal and consultative process.Read more

Odisha Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi has announced that land acquisition for a mega steel plant in Keonjhar district will begin soon, as the company has already deposited the required funds. A joint venture between JSW Group and South Korean steel giant POSCO, is set for an initial investment of over INR 40,000 crore and a production capacity of 5 million tonnes per year. This development is seen as a key step in boosting the mineral-rich district's economy and creating new employment opportunities for local youth, with the Chief Minister taking it as a challenge to bring large-scale industry to the area.Read more

Highway Infrastructure Ltd's initial public offering witnessed a massive response from investors, being subscribed nearly 73 times within the first two days of bidding. The IPO, valued at INR 130 crore, drew strong interest across all investor categories, especially from non-institutional and retail investors. The offering consists of a fresh issue and an offer for sale, and includes participation from anchor investors like HDFC Bank and Abans Finance. Highway Infrastructure, known for tollway collection, EPC projects, and real estate development, will list its shares on both BSE and NSE.Read more

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is managing a vast portfolio of national highway construction across India, with 1,240 projects spanning over 29,000 km currently under development. Union Minister Shri Nitin Gadkari informed the Rajya Sabha that these works, with a total cost of INR 7.80 lakh crore, are being executed in stages and are expected to conclude by the financial year 2028-29. Of the ongoing works, more than 15,600 km have already been completed. The government is also expanding its focus on electric vehicle infrastructure and road maintenance.Read more