Cabinet Clears Rs 248.15 Billion Rail Expansion

20 Apr 2026 CW Team

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved two major railway multitracking projects worth Rs 248.15 billion across Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. The schemes will add around 601 km to the Indian Railways network and are targeted for completion by 2030–31.

The approved works include the Ghaziabad–Sitapur third and fourth line project and the Rajahmundry (Nidadavolu)–Visakhapatnam (Duvvada) third and fourth line project. The projects aim to ease congestion, improve freight movement, enhance passenger connectivity and support movement of commodities such as coal, cement, foodgrains, steel and fertilisers. They are also expected to lower logistics costs and reduce carbon emissions.

Real Estate

20 Apr 2026

Vestian reports 36% drop in construction activity in Q1

Vestian reported a 36 per cent quarter-on-quarter decline in new office completions to 9.7 million sq ft in Q1 2026, marking the lowest level in the past four quarters amid the West Asia crisis.The slowdown was led by cities such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Mumbai, where developers adopted a cautious approach. Hyderabad saw the steepest drop, with completions falling 95 per cent to 0.3 million sq ft from 6.0 million sq ft in the previous quarter.Despite constrained supply, office absorption rose 20 per cent year-on-year to 21.53 million sq ft, driven by sustained demand from global capability ..

fäm Properties reports 95% sales in Dubai 2026 supply

Data from DXBinteract shows that 41,015 of 43,217 units due this year have already been sold. Across the 2026–2029 pipeline, 71.45 per cent of 426,182 units have been committed, indicating sustained absorption levels.The analysis highlights strong demand across leading developers, with several reporting near or full sell-outs. Emaar and Meraas have sold over 99 per cent of their 2026 inventory, while Dubai Holding and Meydan projects are fully sold.Commenting on the trend, Firas Al Msaddi, CEO, fam Properties, said, “Dubai continues to demonstrate a level of forward demand that is structur..

EKKI Pumps launches Hori-Max sump pump range

EKKI Pumps has launched its Hori-Max range of horizontal multistage sump submersible pumps at Plumbex 2026 in Bengaluru.The new range, comprising Hori-Max S, Hori-Max SVR and Hori-Max M series, is designed for water transfer and boosting applications across residential, commercial, infrastructure and agricultural segments.The pumps feature a multistage horizontal design with high-efficiency components, including FG 250 cast iron diffusers and stainless steel impellers, enabling consistent pressure and improved hydraulic performance. A key capability is operation in shallow water conditions, wi..