Kolkata Metro Blue Line Recieved Funding of Rs 6,717.2 mn

14 May 2026 CW Team

The Centre has sanctioned Rs 6,717.2 million (mn) for an electrical infrastructure upgrade on the north-south corridor of the Kolkata Metro Blue Line. The works aim to raise train frequency, reducing peak-hour gaps from five minutes to two-and-a-half minutes by 2030, according to a Press Information Bureau release dated May 2. The package forms part of a broader plan to strengthen capacity on the city’s oldest metro corridor.

Of the total, Rs 2,910.6 mn will be deployed to install seven additional traction substations, while the remaining Rs 3,806.6 mn will fund the replacement of transformers, rectifiers, high-speed circuit breakers and a network of cables. Engineers explained that shorter headways require a traction substation at or near each station to ensure adequate power delivery. The new substations are intended to modernise ageing electrical systems and reduce dependence on older infrastructure.

The Blue Line was built in the 1980s and currently comprises 26 stations, 13 traction substations and five receiving substations. At present receiving substations accept 33 kV alternating current from the utility and step it down to 11 kV before feeding traction substations, which then convert power into 750 volts direct current for the third rail. Advances in technology now allow traction substations to handle 33 kV directly, diminishing the role of ageing receiving substations.

Eight additional traction substations would provide a near one-for-one ratio with stations and an extra unit will be placed between Dum Dum and Belgachia to address a longer gap. Two new substations at Chandni Chowk and Gitanjali are nearing completion and are due to be functional by July-end. The programme will replace the steel third rail with an aluminium one to reduce voltage drops, cut energy losses and improve acceleration, and will be implemented in phases, with most underground sections already upgraded and the elevated stretch between Tollygunge and Kavi Subhas remaining.

Infrastructure Urban

14 May 2026

Maharashtra Clears Rs 317.93 Bn For Virar Alibaug Corridor

Maharashtra has granted administrative approval for phase one of the 14-lane Virar-Alibaug Multi-Modal Transport Corridor, an access-controlled route to improve connectivity across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and link the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority, Navi Mumbai International Airport and the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link. The first phase spans 126.06 km and is estimated at Rs 317.93 billion. The Urban Development Department lists the construction cost at Rs 215.34 billion. The alignment is proposed through 104 villages across Vasai, Bhiwandi, Kalyan, Ambernath, Panvel, Uran, Pen and Alibaug..

Gurugram To Control Streetlights Via Mobile App

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram has announced a mobile app based system to operate and monitor the city streetlighting network as part of a smart city upgrade. The initiative will bring 0.112 million streetlights under digital control, replacing the previous practice in which workers manually switched lights across different sectors. The programme is intended to improve maintenance efficiency and strengthen the digital infrastructure of the city. The move aligns with broader urban digitalisation efforts in the region. The platform will allow officials to operate the streetlights remotely..

Ahmedabad Plans Singapore Style Artificial Intelligence Indoor Garden

Ahmedabad will host a proposed Singapore style indoor garden on the Sabarmati Riverfront, a project unveiled at the Vibrant Gujarat regional conference by Simon Wong. The proposal, modelled on Singapore's Gardens by the Bay, aims to blend architecture, ecology and technology to create a year-round attraction. Organisers positioned the scheme as part of broader smart city and tourism ambitions for the region. The project is planned as a climate-controlled dome designed to recreate a tropical forest environment with artificial rain simulation, immersive fog and dense tropical plantations. Advanc..