First highway under Assam Mala scheme to completion

26 Sep 2022 CW Team

The first construction project under the Assam Mala scheme, the Palashbari-Chandubi two-lane highway, will be completed within a week, according to Kartik Biswas, the executive engineer of South Kamrup Territorial Road Division. “The construction will be completed six months ahead of the stipulated time,” he said.

The highway will connect South Kamrup to the Assam-Meghalaya border in West Guwahati. It will cut the travel time from Mirza to Chandubi (32 km) from one and a half hours to 40 minutes. The new highway has been built alongside the river Brahmaputra and stretches from Palashbari to Chandubi.

The two-lane highway passes by Mirza, Barihat, Loharghat, Borduar and Muduki. It was planned to be 26 km long, but after protests against two-laning the highway on this particular stretch, Assam Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma called off the construction of a 6-km stretch which has the Borduar Reserve Forest to its north and Mayang Hill Reserve Forest to its south.

The protests had erupted back in August after around 2,000 trees which are 100-150 years old were earmarked to be felled for the purpose. The highway has now been expanded to a two-lane only until Muduki. The 6-km stretch beyond Muduki has been kept single-lane and construction has been halted.

However, even while constructing the existing stretch, thousands of century-old high value trees were felled. Many high-value trees have been planted again by the officials and villagers, even if their survival rates are fairly low.

Infrastructure Energy

17 Dec 2025

Vedanta Aluminium Uses 1.57 bn Units of Green Energy in FY25

Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest aluminium producer, recently reported consumption of 1.57 billion units of renewable energy in FY25, marking a significant milestone in its 2030 decarbonisation roadmap. The company also achieved an 8.96 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity compared to FY21, reinforcing its leadership in India’s low-carbon manufacturing transition. During FY25, Vedanta Aluminium expanded its renewable energy portfolio through long-term power purchase agreements, strengthening its strategy to source nearly 1,500 MW of renewable power over the lon..

Oberoi Group to Develop Luxury Resort at Makaibari Tea Estate

EIH Limited, the flagship company of The Oberoi Group, has announced the signing of a management agreement to develop an Oberoi luxury resort at the iconic Makaibari Tea Estate in Darjeeling. The project marks a key milestone in the Group’s long-term strategy of creating distinctive hospitality experiences in rare and environmentally significant locations. Established in 1859, Makaibari is one of the world’s oldest tea estates and is globally recognised for its Himalayan landscape, primary forests and exceptional biodiversity. Spread across 1,236 acres, the estate houses one of the world�..

GHV Infra Secures Rs 1.09 Bn EPC Order in Jamshedpur

GHV Infra Projects Ltd, a fast-growing EPC company in India’s infrastructure and construction sector, has recently secured a Rs 1.09 billion work order in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand. Awarded by a reputed group entity, the contract covers end-to-end civil construction, mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) systems, along with high-quality finishing works for a large building development. The project will be executed over a 30-month period, with defined benchmarks for quality, safety and timely delivery. The order strengthens GHV Infra’s footprint in Jamshedpur, a key industrial hub known fo..