With six states having completed the targets set for new connectivity and upgradation projects under the phase 1 of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY),
FlashNews:
SMFCL Board Clears $3 Billion Borrowing Plan to Accelerate Maritime Infrastructure Financing
Air India Restores Codeshare with Air Canada to Expand India-Canada Flight Network
Indian Railways Freight Loading Surges Past 1 Billion Tonne Milestone This Fiscal
IWAI Signs MoUs to Boost Assam’s Inland Waterways and Industrial Logistics
Air India Express to Launch Services from Navi Mumbai International Airport on Day One
Tata Power, Druk Green Power Corp. Seal ₹1.31 Trillion Pact for Bhutan’s Largest PPP Hydro Project
IndiGo Commits $820 Million to Transform Fleet Ownership Via GIFT City Finance Hub
NHAI Launches RIIMPL to Drive Public InvIT for Highway Monetisation
Northeast to Anchor India’s Inland Waterways Revival, Says Shipping Minister Sonowal
Noida International Airport Boosts Regional Access with UPSRTC Bus Partnership
It’s India’s Turn to Take Global South’s Aspirations to Stars, Say Space Leaders at ISpA Conclave
IndiGo Links Madhya Pradesh’s Indore Commercial Hub with Rewa White Tiger Territory
INOXGFL Group and KP Energy Seal Renewables Partnership for Pan-India Wind and Solar Projects
Green Ferry Infrastructure on Yamuna to Transform Delhi Cruises and Transport: Sonowal
Indian Railways Unveils Cement Freight Policy with Flat Rates, New Containers, and Bulk Terminals
India’s Spacetech Startups Propel Sector Towards $45 Billion Growth, Says Jitendra Singh
THINK Gas Signs Long-Term LNG Supply Agreement with Shell Energy India
Navi Mumbai Airport to Launch on Dec 25 with 23 Daily Flights; IndiGo, Akasa, Air India Lead Rollout
Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya and DRDO Sign MoU to Develop Smart Tech Solutions for National Security
Soon-to-be-indispensable
GIS mapping taps the criticality of location and then helps in accurate troubleshooting through the four stages of an infrastructure project, says Dominic McNeillis.
Divining intervention
Nearly a fifth of the country’s land is rich in commercially viable mineral deposits, but without proper prospecting policies, mining has not always been scientific. The government is now wooing foreign players into prospecting and mining in India,
Minor airports in Karnataka
Karnataka Governor HR Bhardwaj informed that minor airports at Shimoga, Gulbarga, Bijapur and Hassan were being developed on public-private-partnership basis.The airports at Gulbarga and Shimoga would be operational by July.
Ban, Clean, Refresh
As the Supreme Court churned out more earthshattering decisions for the infra industries in a week than it did in a long while, the court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) returned with its final report and recommendations to allow 45
Karnataka records less utilisation of Nabard funds
Compared to its neighbours, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka lags behind in both sanctions and disbursal of funds under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard).
The Market-Accessors
If rural roads act as connectors between highways and tolled for heavy vehicles, they can be made more viable. In several states, rural roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and the NABARD-financed schemes are new and inviting.
Mining: Struggling to emerge from doldrums
Karnataka now finds itself in the company of other states in the clamp down on mining and ore transport. This means India will soon drop down in its export rankings of ore, adding to the brewing export and currency troubles. A Shivkamal writes that in this delicate environment, further reforms in mining will prove to be difficult to implement, at least in the near future.
On the foothills of an uncertain year
One of the key challenges in infrastructure is facilitating the flow of projected but large amounts of capital into infrastructure. Current trends indicate that there might be a funding shortfall of over $300 billion,
More premium bids for NHAI
All 4 bids opened on negative VGF exceeding estimation by far. NHAI opened four National Highway bids (on BOT) over the past two working days--three on Friday, 18 November and one on Monday, 21 November. The four have all been on premium, also called negative Viability Gap Funding (VGF) of varying amounts.

