SICMA urges centre to provide telescopic railway freight service

30 Dec 2021 CW Team

The South India Cement Manufacturers' Association (SICMA) has urged the Centre to provide telescopic railway freight service to facilitate the movement of cement from surplus states to deficit regions.

South India has 180 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) capacity, which accounts for 40% of India's cement production and 35-40% of limestone was also found in the southern part of India.

SICMA said that in a few years, commodities would be fewer in the North, East and Central India while a huge surplus in South India. The Association requested the government to facilitate movement from the surplus Southern states to deficit regions through telescopic railway freight service.

President of SICMA, N Srinivasan, highlighted that the ministry imposes a higher duty for imports of clinker and cement, and South India has excess capacity of limestone.

Cement manufacturers cannot export to neighbouring countries due to the anti-dumping duties imposed on cement imported from India, while India provides free access to the domestic market for cement from other countries.

He urged the Ministry of Finance to impose a higher duty for the import of clinker and cement.

Image Source

Infrastructure Transport

15 Oct 2025

BMC Gets CRZ Nod For Rs 40 Million Gorai Bridge Rebuild

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has secured Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance for the reconstruction of the Poisar River bridge in Gorai, located in Mumbai’s western suburbs. However, the proposed demolition of the existing 100-metre bridge has sparked opposition from local residents, who claim it serves as the only direct access route between the Lower and Upper Koliwada areas. The three-decade-old bridge, situated within the CRZ buffer zone, was recently declared structurally unsafe following a civic audit. The BMC has sanctioned its reconstruction at an estimated cost ..

NHAI Completes Rs 15.9 Billion Four-Lane Stretch On ECR

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has completed the four-laning of the 38 km Puducherry–Poondiyankuppam stretch, ending near Cuddalore, in a development that will cut travel time by up to two hours, according to a report by The New Indian Express. The upgraded section, built at a cost of Rs 15.9 billion under the Bharatmala Pariyojana Phase I, marks a major milestone in the ongoing East Coast Road (ECR) widening programme. The project promises a smoother, faster drive for motorists travelling towards Cuddalore, Chidambaram, Sirkazhi, and Nagapattinam. With this completion, 22..

Encroachments Delay Rs 1 Billion Ghatkopar Bridge Project

The construction of a new cable-stayed rail overbridge at Ghatkopar and the widening of the Andheri–Ghatkopar Link Road (AGLR) have been delayed due to the presence of nearly 250 encroached structures on both sides of the road. In response, Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani has directed officials to carry out a structural audit of the existing bridge over the railway line and enforce temporary restrictions on heavy vehicles to ensure public safety. The bridge, which starts at the Golibar Road junction near LBS Marg and extends up to the Eastern Express Highway (EEH), serves as a critic..