Bengaluru Tunnel Road DPR Reduces Tunnelling Timeline to 24 Months

01 Aug 2025 CW Team

Officials from Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure (B-SMILE) claim the reduced timeline is achievable through the deployment of advanced TBMs, each capable of boring a minimum of 200 metres per month—more than double the previous estimate. The overall project duration has also been reduced from 61 months to 50 months in the final DPR.

“We initially considered six TBMs with a cutting speed of 90 metres per month, but that made the process too lengthy,” said B S Prahallad, Director, B-SMILE. “Switching to eight high-speed machines allows us to complete 32 km of tunnelling in two years under optimal conditions.”

However, experts have raised concerns over the ambitious schedule. Ashish Verma, professor at IISc, noted that tunnel excavation is fraught with unpredictable ground conditions, which the DPR may not have adequately accounted for. “Based on Bengaluru’s tunnelling history, unexpected geological challenges and bureaucratic delays are frequent,” he said.

Independent mobility expert Satya Arikutharam criticised the DPR’s assumptions, questioning the cost implications of using additional TBMs and the lack of realism in the projected timeline. “Unrealistic deadlines will deter serious contractors from bidding,” he warned.

New source: New Indian Express

Real Estate

02 Apr 2026

Indian real estate attracts USD 1.4 bn institutional investments in Q1 2026: Vestian

Institutional investments in India’s real estate sector touched USD 1.4 billion in Q1 2026, marking the highest first-quarter inflow since 2022, according to Vestian. While investments fell 62 per cent quarter-on-quarter due to an exceptionally high base in the previous quarter, they rose 74 per cent compared to the same period last year, reflecting sustained investor confidence despite rising geopolitical and macroeconomic challenges.Commercial real estate remained the key driver of investment activity during the quarter, accounting for 80 per cent of total inflows, sharply higher than 38 p..

VECV crosses 1 lakh annual vehicle sales milestone in FY26

VE Commercial Vehicles (VECV), a joint venture between Volvo Group and Eicher Motors, has surpassed the 1 lakh annual sales mark in FY 2025–26, recording its highest-ever commercial vehicle sales performance. The company said it sold more than 100,000 vehicles during the year, marking a major milestone aligned with the original vision of the Volvo–Eicher joint venture.The strong performance was supported by demand across categories. Light and Medium Duty (LMD) trucks contributed 47,789 units, accounting for 46.1 per cent of total sales. Heavy Duty (HD) trucks recorded 26,867 units (25.9 pe..

Rodic Digital & Advisory partners SatSure to deploy EO intelligence in public sector

Rodic Digital & Advisory (RDA), the strategic advisory and digital transformation arm of Rodic Consultants, has signed a strategic cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with SatSure to jointly pursue opportunities in India’s public sector. The collaboration aims to integrate high-resolution Earth Observation (EO) data and geospatial AI into government workflows to strengthen monitoring, compliance, and operational decision-making across key sectors.The partnership combines SatSure’s Earth intelligence capabilities with RDA’s expertise in government digital transformation and ..