IRB Begins Toll Collection on Key Uttar Pradesh Highways

30 Jan 2026 CW Team

IRB Infrastructure and Developers has commenced toll collection on two major highway corridors in Uttar Pradesh—the Lucknow–Ayodhya–Gorakhpur section of NH-27 and the Lucknow–Sultanpur stretch of the Lucknow–Varanasi NH-731—marking a significant milestone in its toll road portfolio.

The company said toll operations began after it paid an upfront concession fee of Rs 92.7 billion to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and achieved financial closure. Toll collection is being carried out through the project special purpose vehicle, IRB Harihara Corridors, under a revenue-linked concession period of 20 years.

IRB Infrastructure Trust had emerged as the highest bidder for NHAI’s TOT-17 bundle, which comprises the two highway corridors with an aggregate length of 366 kilometres. The company received the Letter of Award on November 14, 2025, and the project SPV signed the concession agreement with NHAI on December 12, 2025.

Commenting on the development, Virendra D. Mhaiskar, Chairman and Managing Director of IRB Group, said the NH-27 corridor holds exceptional cultural and spiritual significance as it connects some of India’s most revered religious and cultural cities. He added that the project will enable safer, more efficient and seamless travel for millions of pilgrims and commuters while contributing to regional economic development.

Headquartered in Mumbai, IRB Infrastructure and Developers is India’s largest integrated private toll road and highways infrastructure developer, with an asset base of around Rs 940 billion across 13 states.

Infrastructure Urban

06 Apr 2026

InsideFPV Delivers ₹10 Crore Kamikaze Drone Order Under MoD’s EPR Route

InsideFPV, a Surat-based drone technology manufacturer, has successfully executed a ₹10 crore defence contract to supply indigenous kamikaze drones under the Ministry of Defence’s Emergency Procurement Route (EPR). The company completed the delivery of hundreds of FPV kamikaze drone platforms within a rapid two-month timeframe, highlighting its ability to meet urgent military procurement timelines.The supply orders were fulfilled under the emergency procurement mechanism, which is aimed at fast-tracking acquisitions for immediate operational needs. InsideFPV’s quick execution reflects it..

Vedanta Resources Secures Fitch Upgrade to ‘BB-’, Best Rating Since 2015

Vedanta Resources Limited (VRL), a global player in metals, oil & gas, critical minerals, power and technology, has received a credit rating upgrade from Fitch Ratings, marking its strongest bond rating in over a decade.Fitch has raised Vedanta Resources’ Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to ‘BB-’ from ‘B+’, while maintaining a Stable Outlook. The agency also upgraded VRL’s senior unsecured rating, along with the ratings of US dollar-denominated bonds issued by Vedanta Resources Finance II Plc and guaranteed by VRL, to ‘BB-’.The upgrade represents Vedan..

NAREDCO NextGen NCR Chapter Launched

The NAREDCO NextGen NCR Chapter was recently launched at Excelerate 2026 in Mumbai, marking a key step towards integrating emerging real estate leaders from the National Capital Region with the national platform. The initiative aims to promote sustainable and responsible urban development through collaboration and knowledge exchange.The event brought together young developers, entrepreneurs, and professionals from across NCR, including Noida, Gurugram, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Bhiwadi, and Meerut. Discussions focused on urban development, finance, sustainability, innovation, and policy, emphasisi..