Bullet train project's land acquisition set to finish by end of March

08 Mar 2024 CW Team

Officials have indicated that the Centre aims to finalize land acquisition for the Rs 1 trillion bullet train project by the end of this month. It has been disclosed that the Chief Secretary of Maharashtra has instructed all district collectors in the state to hand over land for the project within the adjusted timeline.

Furthermore, they mentioned that the work on shifting transmission lines should also be concluded by the end of March 2024. The bullet train project encompasses areas in Gujarat, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Maharashtra.

In Gujarat and Dadra and Nagar Haveli, the process of land acquisition and possession has been successfully completed. However, in Maharashtra, over 15% of the total land required is yet to be transferred to the National High Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRCL). The land acquired amounts to 959.04 hectares in Gujarat and 430.45 hectares in Maharashtra.

The NHSRCL, functioning as a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), has 50% equity from the Railways Ministry and 25% each from the Maharashtra and Gujarat state governments. Apart from land acquisition, the prompt completion of power transmission line shifting is crucial to meet the revised project timelines. Gujarat has made significant progress by completing the shifting of 1333 infringing lines.

In Maharashtra, there are 318 infringing lines, of which approximately 300 have been dealt with so far. According to a senior official, the remaining transmission lines in Maharashtra will also be relocated by the end of March 2024. The project has obtained approvals for activities such as forest, wildlife, and mangroves cutting, in addition to tree cutting.

Infrastructure Urban

10 Mar 2026

ABB to Invest Rs 6.25 Billion to Expand India Manufacturing

ABB recently announced plans to invest approximately Rs 6.25 billion ($75 million) in India during 2026 to expand its manufacturing footprint and research and development capabilities. The investment follows more than $35 million spent in 2025 and reflects the company’s continued focus on strengthening its ‘local-for-local’ strategy in the country.The investment will support ABB’s Electrification, Motion and Automation businesses and expand manufacturing capacity for infrastructure sectors such as renewable energy, metro rail, data centres and industrial applications. Approximately 300..

Six WOLFF Cranes Handle 60,000 m³ Concrete for German Hospital

Six WOLFF tower cranes are playing a key role in constructing a new hospital complex in Memmingen, Germany, supporting large-scale material handling for the project. The facility is being built on a 7.7-hectare site and will feature six floors, around 480 beds and a gross floor area exceeding 75,000 sq m.Building shell works began recently in February 2025. One WOLFF 6531.12 Cross crane supported early site preparation before being dismantled in autumn 2025, while five remaining cranes continue operations. Over an average deployment period of 16 months, the cranes are expected to move approxim..

REC Funds Rs 115.6 Million CSR Support for Bihar Eye Hospital

REC recently committed Rs 115.6 million under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme for the procurement of clinical and non-clinical equipment at Sankara Eye Hospital in Saharsa, Bihar. The initiative aims to strengthen healthcare infrastructure and improve access to specialised eye care services in the region.A Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) was recently signed between Pradeep Fellows, Executive Director (CSR), REC Limited, and Wg Cdr V. Shankar (Retd), Trustee and Executive Director of Sankara Eye Hospital, at the REC office in the SCOPE Complex, New Delhi.The support is expecte..