ECoR completes 700 m escape tunnel for railway project in Boudh, Odisha

29 Jul 2024 CW Team

The engineering team of East Coast Railway (ECoR) has reached a significant milestone by excavating a 700-metre-long escape tunnel for the Khurda Road-Balangir rail link project in Boudh district.

ECoR's construction division created the escape tunnel from National Highway-57, connecting it to the 4,185-metre-long tunnel being built in the Adhenigarh-Charichhak section within a reserve forest under the Madhapur range in Boudh. The excavation was completed on Tuesday. This escape tunnel will facilitate the early completion of the main tunnel and boost the long-pending project, which was sanctioned in 1994. Out of the 301 km Khurda Road-Balangir project, 152.8 km has been completed to date. Indian Railways has been constructing the line from both Khurda Road and Balangir ends to ensure its timely completion.

So far, 105.8 km from Khurda Road to Daspalla and 47 km from Balangir to Sonepur have been commissioned. Additionally, the 28.76 km stretch from Sonepur to Jharmunda has been completed. The segment from Sonepur to Purunakatak, covering around 73 km, is expected to be finished within the next few months.

The Ministry of Railways is closely monitoring the Khurda Road-Balangir project. New lines are being laid from both ends to expedite work and complete the project as soon as possible.

Infrastructure Energy

12 May 2026

Surat Tops Gujarat in PM Surya Ghar Rooftop Solar Installations

Under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, rooftop solar systems have been installed on 588,047 houses across Gujarat, equal to about 0.588 million (mn) houses. Surat district emerged as the top performer in the state with 74,940 rooftop installations, followed by Ahmedabad with 69,522 and Rajkot with 65,514. Other districts with substantial uptake included Vadodara at 50,100 and Junagadh at 28,726. The figures were collated from state implementation reports and reflect installations completed under the subsidy and free distribution components. The scheme was launched two years ago to promote ..

DCIL Commissions 150 kW Solar Rooftop Plant

Dredging Corporation of India Limited (DCIL) has commissioned a 150 kilowatt (kW) solar rooftop plant at its head office in Visakhapatnam as part of renewable energy initiatives under the Government of India’s PM Surya Ghar Yojana. The plant was commissioned by the managing director and chief executive officer, Captain S. Divakar. The project aims to reduce carbon emissions and improve operational efficiency. The installation represents a visible step in the organisation's decarbonisation agenda. DCIL said the solar plant is expected to generate around 750 units of clean energy per day, near..

Tata Power And DGPC Take Hydropower Partnership Past 5,033 MW

Tata Power has expanded its clean energy partnership with Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC) by adding the Nyera Amari I and II Integrated Hydropower Project of 404 megawatt (MW), taking the jointly identified portfolio past the 5,033 MW mark. The amendment to the memorandum of understanding raises the target from the original 4,500 MW agreed when the MoU was signed on 19 November 2024, with backing from the Royal Government of Bhutan and the Government of India. The development forms part of a broader bilateral effort to mobilise large-scale renewable capacity in Bhutan. The expanded portfol..