Centre Sets Conditions for Parandur Airport Nod

31 May 2025 CW Team

The Centre has granted in-principle approval for the Rs 200 billion greenfield airport at Parandur, near Chennai, with key conditions attached, according to meeting records. One major clause states that the Tamil Nadu government must compensate the Airports Authority of India (AAI) if the Parandur airport begins operations before Chennai airport reaches 35 million passengers annually. However, if this target is met first, no compensation will be required.

The Steering Committee meeting held on March 12 also revealed that AAI has requested 90 acres for a cargo complex at Chennai airport and rights to construct a new terminal. The land currently houses a school and a colony. The State has agreed to the compensation condition and has formed a high-level committee to assess flood risks at the Parandur site, given the presence of water bodies in the area.

This development marks a significant step in Tamil Nadu’s aviation infrastructure but underscores the Centre’s cautious approach, ensuring the full capacity of the existing Chennai facility is first utilised.

Source
Businessline

Infrastructure Urban

27 Oct 2025

Coal Ministry Achieves Milestones under Special Campaign 5.0

The Ministry of Coal and its Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) have achieved notable milestones under the Special Campaign 5.0, focusing on cleanliness, operational efficiency, and sustainability across the coal sector. During the implementation phase from 2–31 October 2025, over 1,205 sites were cleaned, covering 68,04,087 sq ft, nearing the target of 82,51,511 sq ft. Scrap disposal of 5,813 MT against a target of 8,678 MT generated Rs 228.7 million in revenue. In addition, 1,11,248 physical and 30,331 electronic files were reviewed, with 74,123 weeded out or closed. Key initiatives showc..

Vesting Orders Issued for Three Coal Blocks under Commercial Auctions

The Ministry of Coal’s Nominated Authority has issued vesting orders for three coal blocks under commercial coal block auctions on 23 October 2025. The Coal Mine Development and Production Agreements (CMDPAs) for these mines were earlier signed on 21 August 2025. The three blocks include Rajgamar Dipside (Deavnara), Tangardihi North, and Mahuagarhi. Of these, two are partially explored while one is fully explored, with a combined peak rated capacity of around 1 MTPA and geological reserves of approximately 1,484.41 million tonnes. These mines are expected to generate annual revenue of abou..

TEC, IIT-Hyderabad Partner to Boost 6G and Telecom Standards

The Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC), technical arm of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IIT Hyderabad) for joint research and technical collaboration in advanced telecom technologies and standardisation. The partnership focuses on developing India-specific standards and test frameworks for next-generation networks, including 6G, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs). It also aims to enhance India’s participation in international standardisation f..