Mega spends by key players in cement industry

07 Dec 2020 Editorial Team

In order to improve operational efficiency and enhance capacity, cement majors have committed big money to capex. One of the largest investments in the infrastructure industry has been announced, indicating a revival in private sector sentiments.

Ambuja Cement and ACC, part of the LafargeHolcim Group, will pump in Rs 780 crore to set up six waste heat recovery systems of 760 MW at eight kiln lines across six cement plants within 16-18 months, trimming their carbon footprint by 5.61 lakh tonne per year.

Shiva Cement, a subsidiary of JSW Cement, is investing over Rs 1,500 crore in a 1.36 mt clinker unit in Odisha.

UltraTech Cement, an Aditya Birla Group company, announced an investment of Rs 5,477 crore, which is its largest investment in a combination of brownfield and greenfield expansion. This will be utilised to expand its capacity by 12.8 mt per annum by FY23.

Compared to a 6% contraction in the first half of FY21, cement volumes are expected to grow 12% year-on-year (y-o-y) during the second half. As activity in urban housing, infrastructure and commercial construction picks up pace, large producers, including ACC, UltraTech, and Ambuja Cements, reported higher y-o-y volumes in the second quarter of FY21.

According to Reliance Securities, the cost of equipment and machinery for setting up cement plants has fallen significantly with a slump in global demand barring India. The capex cycle in the cement industry has revived on the back of a significant fall in replacement cost and sustained buoyant demand in north, east and central India.

Real Estate

04 Sep 2025

Mumbai Records 11,230 Property Deals in August 2025

Mumbai’s property market remained resilient in August 2025, with 11,230 property registrations recorded under the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) jurisdiction, according to data released by Knight Frank India. While this marks a 3 per cent year-on-year (YoY) decline compared to 11,631 registrations in August 2024, activity stayed robust despite the marginal dip.On a month-on-month (MoM) basis, registrations fell 11 per cent from 12,579 deals in July 2025, indicating seasonal moderation. However, the city’s stamp duty collections still reached Rs 10 billion, reflecting a 6 per cent..

68 Jammu-Katra Trains Cancelled Amid Rain Damage

Jammu and Katra railway services remain severely affected as Northern Railway announced the cancellation of 68 trains—both incoming and outgoing—until 30 September, due to extensive track damage caused by heavy rains and flash floods. Meanwhile, 24 trains are scheduled to resume operations gradually.The Jammu railway division has experienced a complete halt in services for the past eight days, following track misalignment and breaches at several points along the Pathankot–Jammu section. Torrential rainfall since 26 August led to widespread flooding and damage, stranding hundreds of passe..

Bangalore Metro MD Reviews Reach 6 and Phase 2A Progress

Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) Managing Director, Dr J Ravishankar, IAS, conducted inspections of key metro corridors on 29 and 30 August, reviewing the progress of Reach 6 (Pink Line) and Phase 2A (Blue Line).On 30 August, the inspection covered Reach 6, a 21.39-km corridor stretching from Kalena Agrahara to Nagawara, with 18 stations. This stretch is part of Phase 2 of the Bangalore Metro project. Dr Ravishankar assessed the status of civil works, finishing, track laying, and system integration between Kalena Agrahara and MG Road.Earlier, on 29 August, the MD inspected Phas..