Kolkata-Howrah to be connected through ring road worth Rs 40 billion

17 Mar 2023 CW Team

The twin towns of Kolkata and Howrah may soon be connected by a new Rs 40 billion bridge, which would reduce traffic between the two cities. A news source cited an official as saying that negotiations for the new project are under progress. According to Second Vivekananda Bridge Tollway Corporation (SVBTC) Pvt Ltd CEO Anjan Roy Chowdhury, the proposed road will be 130 kilometres long. However, only commercial vehicles will be permitted to use the highway at first. He stated that the suggestion had been addressed with the West Bengal government’s finance, police, public works, and transport departments. “Nearly 40 per cent of the proposed road exists. Another 60 per cent needs to be constructed," added Chowdhury. On a BOT (build-operate-transfer) basis, SVBTC, a technical special purpose vehicle, constructed the Nivedita Setu on the Hooghly river.

More than 90% of 4,800 families approved the purchase of the Deocha-Pachami land. According to West Bengal Electricity Minister Aroop Biswas, more than 90% of the approximately 4,800 families impacted by the Deocha-Pachami coal project have given their agreement for land acquisition. The Central Mine Planning and Design Institute's thorough geological report is anticipated by May, he said, and exploratory drilling in the area has been completed.

“We are now starting the process of obtaining specific family and property information through an app built for the purpose,” he said. According to Biswas, this would provide easy rehabilitation and resettlement for the impacted families who reside in the vicinity of the proposed location of Asia's largest coal mine. According to sources, the government will spend about Rs 100 billion on the rehabilitation and relocation programme. The government estimates that the coal block has a 2.1 billion tonne reserve and has the potential to bring in an investment of Rs 350 billion.

Equipment

29 Oct 2025

Handling the Bottom Line

In a highly competitive construction environment, efficient material handling is “the silent engine of profitability”, to quote Vaibhav Kulkarni, General Manager Projects, JP Infra Realty. “It’s not just about moving materials from A to B but developing a strategy to minimise touchpoints, reduce waste and maximise spends.”Planning stageBefore investing in material, Kulkarni recommends designing the material flow. “Map the journey of major materials from the delivery point to their final placement,” he recommends. While doing this, “minimise double-handling and identif..

Taking Flight!

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) on October 8, 2025, it marked far more than the opening of another terminal – it signified a turning point in India’s aviation and infrastructure narrative. Developed by Adani Airport Holdings Ltd (AAHL) in partnership with the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), NMIA represents a bold vision of how modern India intends to connect its people, power its economy and project its identity on the global stage.“The Navi Mumbai International Airport is a project that exemplifies the visio..

Highway Guidelines 2.0

In August 2025, a Public Accounts Committee comprising members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha presented a report, ‘Levy and Regulation of Fees, Tariffs, User Charges etc on Public Infrastructure and Other Public Utilities in the context of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).Having examined present design accountability, subcontracting, pavement failures, emergency response mechanisms, toll reforms, service quality, stakeholder consultations and other aspects, the Committee presented recommendations covering the planning a..