Soil Tests Underway For 13.5-km Elevated Corridor Along East Coast Road

06 Apr 2026 CW Team

Soil investigations have started along the East Coast Road in Chennai for the 13.5-km Thiruvanmiyur–Uthandi elevated corridor. The contractor has set up temporary barricades on medians while conducting tests at 430 locations where pillars are planned. The corridor will be a four-lane structure and is expected to take a little over three years to build. Excavation of shallow boreholes and trial pits will mark the initial field work.

The project carries a budget of Rs 21 billion (Rs 21 bn) and aims to ease traffic congestion on the popular coastal stretch. Geotechnical teams will extract soil samples to determine the depth and sequence of sand, clay, soft rock and hard rock layers. Investigations will extend to depths of up to 25 metres to inform foundation design. Laboratory testing will assess bearing capacity, compressibility and groundwater conditions to support safe design.

An engineer associated with the work said samples would be analysed by the design department to determine foundation types and other structural parameters. The tests are scheduled over the next few months and will guide the design of pile foundations and related structures. Officials indicated that soil data will also influence construction sequencing and resource allocation. The design department will model load transfer and select suitable pile lengths and diameters based on the soil profiles.

Local travel is expected to be affected during the testing phase by temporary barricades and periodic drilling activities, and authorities have advised motorists to follow diversion signage. Project managers plan to incorporate the geotechnical findings into detailed drawings before commencing major piling and superstructure work. Once underway, the elevated corridor is intended to improve travel times and urban connectivity along the East Coast Road. Stakeholders expect the findings to reduce unforeseen delays during construction and to refine cost estimates.

Infrastructure Transport

27 Apr 2026

Civil Aviation Minister Reviews Hub And Spoke Readiness

The Minister of Civil Aviation, Ram Mohan Naidu, chaired a high-level meeting at Delhi Airport to review readiness for hub-and-spoke operations. Senior officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Civil Aviation, Bureau of Immigration, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, Customs, Airports Authority of India, Directorate General of Civil Aviation, CISF, DigiYatra, Delhi International Airport Limited and leading airlines attended. He led an on-ground walkthrough of passenger flows and inspected the Security Hold Area at Terminal 3. The ministry noted that the National Civil Aviation P..

BCCL Announces PI Relaxation And Cash Discount For Power Sector

Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) has announced a scheme providing relaxation in Performance Incentive (PI) and offering a cash discount to power sector consumers for the first quarter of Financial Year 2026–27, covering April to June 2026. The scheme is applicable to all eligible power sector consumers covered under Fuel Supply Agreements (FSA), including those under the Flexi?Linkage arrangement. Incentives will be linked to actual coal offtake through rail, road and rail?cum?road (RCR) modes and implemented on the basis of proportion of offtake against the Quarterly Quantity (QQ) in defin..

Union Minister Concludes Czech Republic Visit To Deepen Economic Ties

Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Shri Jitin Prasada concluded an official visit to the Czech Republic from 22 to 23 April 2026 at the invitation of the Czech government. The visit reaffirmed India’s commitment to strengthening strategic and economic engagement with key European partners and to deepening bilateral trade, investment and innovation linkages. The programme focused on identifying practical opportunities for industrial collaboration and technology partnerships. During the visit, the minister held bilateral meetings with senior Czech leaders, including Mr Karel Hav..