POWERGRID Forms JV to Augment Rajasthan’s Transmission Network

03 Jan 2025 CW Team

The Power Grid Corporation of India (POWERGRID) has established a joint venture with Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Prasaran Nigam (RRVPNL) to develop Rajasthan’s intrastate transmission system.The joint venture, Rajasthan Power Grid Transmission Company (RPTCL), aims to address the state’s growing energy needs and ensure a more reliable and robust electricity distribution network.

RPTCL has been created with a fully subscribed and paid-up authorized share capital of Rs 500,000 (~$6,083). POWERGRID will have 74% ownership, which includes the subscription of 37,000 shares at a face value of Rs 10 (~$0.12) per share, while RVPN will hold the remaining 26%.

Last December, Rajasthan unveiled its Integrated Clean Energy Policy, 2024, with an ambitious target of achieving 125,000 MW of renewable energy capacity by the financial year 2030. The plan includes installing a capacity of 90,000 MW of solar power, 25,000 MW of wind and hybrid energy, and 10,000 MW of hydro, pumped storage, and battery energy storage systems.

Last August, Rajasthan became the first Indian state to achieve more than 50% solar in its total installed power capacity, according to Mercom’s India Solar Project Tracker. The state has approximately 23 GW of solar capacity, representing 51% of its total installed power capacity. Solar energy also dominates Rajasthan’s renewable portfolio, accounting for 76% of its total installed renewable energy capacity.

In November 2024, POWERGRID and Dineshchandra R. Agarwal Infracon won Parts A and B of REC Power Development and Consultancy’s transmission project to evacuate 3.5 GW of power from Rajasthan’s renewable energy zone.

In the same month, POWERGRID invited bids to establish a solar-powered green hydrogen plant and fuel cell-based microgrid system at the 400/220 kV Neemrana substation in Rajasthan.

Infrastructure Transport

17 Sep 2025

L&T Seeks to Sell Hyderabad Metro Stake Amid Financial Losses

Infrastructure major Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T) has expressed its intention to sell its stake, exceeding 90 per cent, in the L&T Hyderabad Metro Rail project to either the state or central government through a new Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), citing operational and accumulated losses.In a letter addressed to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), L&T Metro Rail stated that despite repeated follow-ups, the Telangana government has not provided the expected financial assistance. The delay is worsening the financial distress of the concessionaire, making the situa..

Ixigo Launches Delhi Metro Ticketing on Its Trains App

Online travel aggregator (OTA) ixigo has partnered with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) to launch Delhi Metro ticketing on the ixigo Trains app on 12 September.As part of the collaboration, ixigo Trains now offers QR-based metro tickets with in-app payments. Users can plan and book end-to-end journeys across trains, buses, flights, hotels and now metro services on a single platform.The DMRC operates nearly 400 km of network across more than a dozen lines, making it India’s largest and busiest metro system. In August 2025, it recorded i..

Mumbai’s Metro Line 3 Nears Completion After Safety Inspection

Mumbai’s first fully underground metro line, Mumbai Metro Line 3, has moved closer to becoming fully operational as the Commissioner of Metro Railway Safety (CMRS) initiated the inspection of the last section of the Aqua Line, spanning from Worli to Cuffe Parade, on 12 September.Once this section receives safety clearance from CMRS, the entire Mumbai Metro Line 3 will be opened for passengers. According to officials, the inspection report is expected to be finalised by next week, after which the commission will conduct a final verification. Once the remaining 10.99 km stretch is approved, pa..