Iconic Kalka-Shimla Heritage Track Damaged in Himachal

22 Aug 2023 CW Team

A segment of the Kalka-Shimla railway, which holds the status of a world heritage site, suffered damage in the capital of Himachal Pradesh due to a hillside section collapsing following heavy rainfall.

An official stated that a significant portion of the track between Jutogh and Summer Hill railway stations in Shimla was eroded by the rain, causing it to dangle from the hillside. As a result of this incident, train services between Kandaghat and Shimla have been halted.

The Kalka-Shimla rail line, renowned as "toy trains," owing to its quaint charm, has been in operation for over a century. These trains, with seven coaches each, have a capacity of accommodating nearly 200 passengers. The narrow gauge railroad stretches 96 kilometers and was initially constructed to transport Europeans to Shimla, which served as the summer capital during the British India era. Recognizing its historical significance, UNESCO designated it as a world heritage site in 2008.

Infrastructure Urban

27 Oct 2025

Coal Ministry Achieves Milestones under Special Campaign 5.0

The Ministry of Coal and its Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) have achieved notable milestones under the Special Campaign 5.0, focusing on cleanliness, operational efficiency, and sustainability across the coal sector. During the implementation phase from 2–31 October 2025, over 1,205 sites were cleaned, covering 68,04,087 sq ft, nearing the target of 82,51,511 sq ft. Scrap disposal of 5,813 MT against a target of 8,678 MT generated Rs 228.7 million in revenue. In addition, 1,11,248 physical and 30,331 electronic files were reviewed, with 74,123 weeded out or closed. Key initiatives showc..

Vesting Orders Issued for Three Coal Blocks under Commercial Auctions

The Ministry of Coal’s Nominated Authority has issued vesting orders for three coal blocks under commercial coal block auctions on 23 October 2025. The Coal Mine Development and Production Agreements (CMDPAs) for these mines were earlier signed on 21 August 2025. The three blocks include Rajgamar Dipside (Deavnara), Tangardihi North, and Mahuagarhi. Of these, two are partially explored while one is fully explored, with a combined peak rated capacity of around 1 MTPA and geological reserves of approximately 1,484.41 million tonnes. These mines are expected to generate annual revenue of abou..

TEC, IIT-Hyderabad Partner to Boost 6G and Telecom Standards

The Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC), technical arm of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IIT Hyderabad) for joint research and technical collaboration in advanced telecom technologies and standardisation. The partnership focuses on developing India-specific standards and test frameworks for next-generation networks, including 6G, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs). It also aims to enhance India’s participation in international standardisation f..