Indian Railways Clears Survey for New Line in Sikkim

15 May 2025 CW Team

The Ministry of Railways has approved a Final Location Survey for a proposed railway line in Sikkim, connecting Melli to Dentam via Jorethang and Legship. The Rs 22.5 Mn survey will be conducted by Northeast Frontier Railway to assess technical and financial feasibility.

The planned 75-kilometre corridor aims to improve rail access in the under-served southern and western regions of Sikkim. The project is backed by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and follows efforts by Member of Parliament Indra Hang Subba.

This new line is intended to extend the under-construction Sivok–Rangpo railway project, expected to be operational by 2027. Melli is expected to serve as the main junction for the expansion, linking West and South Sikkim with the national rail network.

Officials anticipate that the railway will enhance regional development by boosting tourism, trade, and employment in areas such as Gyalshing and Jorethang. The proposed alignment will also strengthen connectivity near the Indo-Nepal border at Chiwabhanjyang.

Tendering for survey execution is expected to begin soon. The Final Location Survey will identify route alignment, engineering scope, and estimated costs.

Source:UrbanNews

Building Material

18 Sep 2025

Ambuja Cements Drags JSW Cement to Court Over ‘Kawach’ Brand

Ambuja Cements, part of the Adani Group, has filed a trademark infringement case against JSW Cement in the Delhi High Court, alleging that its rival copied the ‘Kawach’ brand with its new product ‘Jal Kavach’.Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora issued summons to JSW Cement and its subsidiary, JSW IP Holdings Pvt Ltd, while referring the matter to mediation. Hearings are scheduled to resume on October 15 if no settlement is reached.Ambuja, which registered the ‘Kawach’ trademark in 2019, argues that the term ‘Kavach’—meaning shield—is the distinctive feature of its branding. ..

Bentley Systems Named Innovation Partner of the Year 2025 by Afcons

Bentley Systems, the infrastructure engineering software company, has been recognised by Afcons Infrastructure Limited as its Innovation Partner of the Year 2025 at the Innovation Partners 2025 Felicitation Ceremony in Mumbai. The award acknowledges Bentley’s contribution to Afcons’ engineering digitalisation journey through an enterprise agreement providing access to over 250 Bentley engineering software tools. This adoption has enabled Afcons to accelerate project delivery, standardise digital workflows, and strengthen innovation across its infrastructure portfolio. Among key i..

SBI Sells 13.18% Stake in Yes Bank to Japan’s SMBC

State Bank of India (SBI) has completed the sale of a 13.18 per cent stake in Yes Bank to Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) for over Rs 8,889 crore. The divestment is part of a Rs 13,482 crore deal finalised in May with SMBC and seven private banks.Following the transaction, SBI’s shareholding in Yes Bank stands at 10.8 per cent. The deal, involving 4,134.4 million shares at Rs 21.50 each, is the largest cross-border transaction in the Indian banking sector.SBI Chairman C S Setty described the 2020 RBI-led rescue of Yes Bank as a pioneering public-private partnership, addi..