India's first urban ropeway in Varanasi; ready by August 2024

30 May 2024 CW Team

India's first urban ropeway in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, is scheduled to be completed by August 2024, offering a unique aerial perspective of the city while also reducing travel time. Officially inaugurated on March 24, 2022, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as part of the 'Pravatmala Pariyojana' National Ropeways Development Programme, this project is advancing rapidly. Phase 1 of the ropeway is estimated to cost Rs 6.45 billion and is expected to be finished by 2025. Substantial progress has been made in implementing the initial phases of public transportation. The 3.7-kilometer ropeway will traverse through five significant locations: Girja Ghar, Godowlia Chowk, Rath Yatra, Kashi Vidyapith (Bharatmala Mandir), Varanasi Railway Station, and Varanasi Cantonment. The project will drastically reduce travel time from Varanasi Junction to Godowlia to just 16 minutes. With approximately 150 gondolas accommodating ten passengers each, the ropeway can serve up to 6,000 passengers per hour. Gondolas will arrive at each of the four stations every two to three minutes, ensuring a smooth and efficient commuting experience. (Source: ET Infra)

Infrastructure Transport

15 Sep 2025

Cabinet Approves Key Highway and Rail Projects in Bihar Region

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the four-laning of the 84.2-km Mokama-Munger section of the Buxar-Bhagalpur high-speed corridor, a key industrial region in poll-bound Bihar. The Cabinet also sanctioned the doubling of the 177-km Bhagalpur-Dumka-Rampurhat railway line, which passes through Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, at a cost of Rs 31.7 billion.The Rs 44.5 billion highway project will be constructed under the hybrid annuity model, a variant of public-private partnership. The Mokama-Munger stretch was the only remaining two-lane section of the 363-km Buxar-Bhagalpur corridor. Fou..

NGT Issues Notice on Bengaluru Twin Tunnel Project

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday issued notices in response to a petition filed by Bengaluru Praja Vedike and others, challenging the Bengaluru twin tunnel road project. Petitioners claim the project was “hastily announced” and bypassed mandatory environmental impact assessment procedures.Notices have been served to the Karnataka Government, Greater Bengaluru Authority, State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Ltd (B-SMILE), the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and project consultants.The 16.74-km twin-tube..

India’s Residential Sales to Dip Slightly in FY26

Residential sales in India’s seven major cities are projected to decline by up to 3 per cent year-on-year in FY26 to 620–640 million square feet (msf), amid a moderation in sales velocity, according to ratings agency Icra.In FY25, sales stood at 643 msf, down 8 per cent YoY, following a sharp contraction in new launches and moderated demand in the affordable and mid-income segments. This slowdown came after the sector posted a robust compound annual growth rate of 26 per cent in area sales between FY22 and FY24.Icra noted: “Having seen a strong upcycle, the sector entered an equilibrium ..