27k Flyers From Kolhapur To Mumbai Benefit From UDAN Scheme

13 Jan 2025 CW Team

In the last two years, 27,157 flyers from Kolhapur to Mumbai benefited from the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS)-UDAN out of the total 54,000 passengers who took a plane on the route. With the ticket price being less than Rs2,800 on every Kolhapur-Mumbai flight, 20-25 seats are kept under the scheme. The service is provided by the air service provider Star Air, run by a Kolhapur-based businessman Sanjay Ghodawat. The flight service was earlier started by a service provider and was halted for a long time. Later, Star Air decided to operate the flight between Kolhapur and Mumbai. The continuous follow-up on making a slot available at Mumbai airport by the public representatives from Kolhapur helped resume the flight services. Simran Singh Tiwana, chief executive officer of Star Air, said, "We provide services to Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Tirupati from Kolhapur airport. The flight services between Kolhapur and other major cities are helping create opportunities for growth and connection." The airline operator has vowed to the passengers to expand beyond the Kolhapur-Mumbai corridor by aiming to connect Kolhapur with new regions in the coming years.

Infrastructure Transport

09 Jan 2026

India Becomes First to Produce Bio-Bitumen for Roads

India has become the first country in the world to commercially produce bio-bitumen for use in road construction, according to Road, Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari. Bitumen, a black and viscous hydrocarbon derived from crude oil, is a key binding material in road building, and the bio-based alternative is expected to significantly improve the sector’s environmental footprint.Addressing the CSIR Technology Transfer Ceremony in New Delhi, Mr Gadkari congratulated Council of Scientific and Industrial Research on achieving the milestone, noting that the initiative would help curb ..

HILT Policy Seen Boosting Telangana Revenue Sharply

The Hyderabad Industrial Land Transformation (HILT) Policy is expected to generate around Rs 1.08 billion in revenue for the Telangana state exchequer, according to Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu. Speaking in the Telangana Legislative Assembly, he said the policy would be implemented within a six-month timeframe in a transparent manner, with uniform rules applicable to all stakeholders. Mr Vikramarka noted that without the HILT Policy, the state would have earned only about Rs 1.2 million per acre. Under the new framework, however, revenue is projected to rise sharply to Rs 70 ..

India Post, MoRD Tie Up to Boost Rural Inclusion

The Department of Posts and the Ministry of Rural Development have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to accelerate rural transformation and expand financial, digital and logistics services for Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and rural households across India. The agreement was signed in the presence of Union Minister of Communications and Development of North Eastern Region Jyotiraditya M. Scindia and Union Minister of Rural Development and Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The collaboration aligns with the government’s “Dak Sewa, Jan Sewa” vision and seeks to repositi..