PM to Inaugurate Rs 10.3 Billion Rail Projects in Tamil Nadu

28 Jul 2025 CW Team

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate a series of infrastructure projects worth Rs 10.3 billion during his visit to Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, on Saturday. These include significant railway electrification and track doubling works aimed at enhancing connectivity across southern districts of the state.

Among the projects being dedicated are:

Electrification of the 90-kilometre Madurai–Bodinayakkanur line
Doubling of the 21-kilometre Nagercoil Town–Kanniyakumari section under the Thiruvananthapuram–Kanniyakumari corridor
Doubling of the Aralvaymozhi–Nagercoil Junction (12.87 km) and Tirunelveli–Melappalaiyam (3.6 km) stretches

The Madurai–Bodinayakkanur line, once a metre gauge route, was converted to broad gauge at a cost of Rs 990 million. The upgrade is expected to provide eco-friendly transport, promote tourism, and support students, small traders, and farmers in Madurai and Theni districts.

Track doubling in Tirunelveli and Kanniyakumari aims to increase rail capacity, improve operational efficiency, and enable more passenger and freight services, according to an official release.

The Nagercoil Town–Kanniyakumari project alone was completed at a cost of Rs 6.5 billion, forming a crucial component of the broader corridor connecting Thiruvananthapuram to Kanniyakumari. The Aralvaymozhi–Nagercoil and Tirunelveli–Melappalaiyam segments together cost Rs 2.83 billion.

Infrastructure Urban

03 Apr 2026

Centre Disburses Over Rs 24,610 mn in XV Finance Commission Grants

The Union Government has released XV Finance Commission tied grants during the financial year 2025–26 to rural local bodies in Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Sikkim and has released withheld portions of tied and untied grants to Himachal Pradesh, Odisha and Tripura. The total disbursal exceeded Rs 24,610 mn, with figures expressed in million (mn) thereafter. The releases cover allocations pertaining to different financial years and aim to strengthen rural local governance. State-wise disbursements included Rs 3,324.6 mn for Punjab, Rs 9,432.7 mn for Madhya Pradesh, Rs 3,47..

Centre Releases Over Rs 15 bn as XV FC Grants to Rural Bodies

The Union Government has released over Rs 15 bn in grants recommended by the Fifteenth Finance Commission (XV FC) to strengthen Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Rural Local Bodies (RLBs) in six states. The funds comprise tied and untied grants disbursed in FY 2025–26. Telangana received Rs 2.48 bn as the first instalment of untied grants for FY 2025–26, benefitting 12600 Gram Panchayats (GPs). Uttarakhand received Rs 913.1 mn as the second instalment and an additional Rs 18.4 mn of a withheld first instalment was released to a further 216 GPs. Mizoram is included among beneficiary st..

Government Assures Fuel Supplies And Seafarer Safety Amid West Asia Developments

The Government of India has stepped up coordinated measures to maintain stability in critical sectors as developments in West Asia continue to unfold. It has prioritised uninterrupted energy supplies, safeguarded maritime operations and extended consular assistance to nationals. Central authorities are working with State and Union territory administrations to ensure timely information dissemination and operational continuity. Refineries are reported to be operating at high capacity with adequate inventories of petrol and diesel, and domestic LPG production has been increased to support consump..