Bengaluru's Challaghatta metro project progressing smoothly

31 May 2023 CW Team

The Challaghatta depot, an essential facility for the BMRCL, is making steady progress after resolving two contentious land issues. Valued at Rs 4.99 billion, the depot cum workshop is a part of the Metro's Reach-2 Phase-II extension. Land surveyors from the railways recently visited the depot to assess the land situation.

M.S. Channappagoudar, General Manager of Land Acquisition at BMRCL, stated that a total of 45 acres of land had been acquired for the construction of the Challaghatta depot and the associated metro station. An issue arose regarding 1,612 square meters of land owned by the railways. BMRCL required only this portion along the Bengaluru-Mysuru railway line to construct a test track for the depot. The Railways agreed to provide the land but requested the acquisition of an additional 960 sq mtr attached to it. They expressed concerns about losing access to that portion once the 1,612 sq mtr were acquired. Two weeks ago, BMRCL agreed to acquire the extra space to address the Railways' concerns.

Another land issue involved five acres of land owned by a farmer located within the depot premises. Although the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) had acquired the land, the farmer filed a writ petition, dissatisfied with the compensation offered. The court dismissed the petition, and the farmer subsequently filed a writ appeal in the high court. However, there is currently no stay on acquiring the land, and the farmer has agreed to hand over the property to BMRCL and accept the cash compensation, which is double the land value.

The Challaghatta depot, situated adjacent to the Challaghatta metro station, is set to become the terminus of the Purple Line. The construction contract for the depot was awarded to a joint venture between Rail Infrastructure Technical and Engineering Services (RITES) and Power Mech Projects Limited on November 22, 2022, with a two-year deadline for completion.

Infrastructure Urban

03 Apr 2026

Centre Disburses Over Rs 24,610 mn in XV Finance Commission Grants

The Union Government has released XV Finance Commission tied grants during the financial year 2025–26 to rural local bodies in Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Sikkim and has released withheld portions of tied and untied grants to Himachal Pradesh, Odisha and Tripura. The total disbursal exceeded Rs 24,610 mn, with figures expressed in million (mn) thereafter. The releases cover allocations pertaining to different financial years and aim to strengthen rural local governance. State-wise disbursements included Rs 3,324.6 mn for Punjab, Rs 9,432.7 mn for Madhya Pradesh, Rs 3,47..

Centre Releases Over Rs 15 bn as XV FC Grants to Rural Bodies

The Union Government has released over Rs 15 bn in grants recommended by the Fifteenth Finance Commission (XV FC) to strengthen Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Rural Local Bodies (RLBs) in six states. The funds comprise tied and untied grants disbursed in FY 2025–26. Telangana received Rs 2.48 bn as the first instalment of untied grants for FY 2025–26, benefitting 12600 Gram Panchayats (GPs). Uttarakhand received Rs 913.1 mn as the second instalment and an additional Rs 18.4 mn of a withheld first instalment was released to a further 216 GPs. Mizoram is included among beneficiary st..

Government Assures Fuel Supplies And Seafarer Safety Amid West Asia Developments

The Government of India has stepped up coordinated measures to maintain stability in critical sectors as developments in West Asia continue to unfold. It has prioritised uninterrupted energy supplies, safeguarded maritime operations and extended consular assistance to nationals. Central authorities are working with State and Union territory administrations to ensure timely information dissemination and operational continuity. Refineries are reported to be operating at high capacity with adequate inventories of petrol and diesel, and domestic LPG production has been increased to support consump..