Pune–Satara Rail Line Doubling Complete After 8 Years

24 Jun 2025 CW Team

Central Railway has completed the long-delayed doubling of the Pune–Satara railway line, covering a total length of 145 kilometres. The Commissioner of Railway Safety granted clearance for operations following an inspection on 17 June, confirmed Pune Divisional Railway Manager, Rajeshkumar Verma.

Trial runs and technical checks are scheduled to begin shortly, paving the way for the start of regular train services on the newly doubled track.

The railway doubling project was originally sanctioned with a budget of Rs 24.8 billion. However, due to multiple delays over the course of eight years, the project cost nearly doubled to Rs 48 billion. In total, 280 kilometres of railway lines were doubled as part of the larger infrastructure upgrade.

Kishore Marne, a frequent traveller on this route, remarked, “The delays from single-line operations were a constant issue. With the second line now in place, I expect better punctuality, fewer cancellations, and a more reliable schedule.”

The completion of the Pune–Satara line is anticipated to significantly enhance rail connectivity, improve the frequency of services, and benefit both passenger and freight transport across the region.

Infrastructure Transport

01 Jun 2026

MMRDA advances 250 m on Orange Gate–Marine Drive tunnel

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has completed 250 m of underground tunnelling for the Orange Gate–Marine Drive Urban Road Tunnel using India’s largest slurry shield tunnel boring machine (TBM) deployed for an urban road project.The project involves twin tunnels extending over 7 km beneath critical transport corridors, including Central Railway, Western Railway and Metro Line 3. The work requires high-precision engineering to navigate densely developed urban infrastructure.Once completed, the tunnel is expected to reduce travel time between Orange Gate and Marin..

Hindustan Zinc Pays Rs 188.46 Billion in FY26

Hindustan Zinc contributed Rs 188.46 billion to the public exchequer in FY 2025-26, according to its 9th Tax Transparency Report. The contribution, equivalent to 46 per cent of the company’s revenue, included direct and indirect taxes, government royalties, dividends to the Government of India, withholding taxes and other statutory levies.The company’s five-year cumulative contribution to the exchequer stood at Rs 915.72 billion. In FY26, Hindustan Zinc reported revenue of Rs 408.44 billion, EBITDA of Rs 221.62 billion and profit after tax of Rs 138.32 billion. It also achieved its highest..

World of Concrete India 2026 Opens in Mumbai

Informa Markets in India will host the 12th edition of World of Concrete India 2026 from 3–5 June 2026 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai. The specialised B2B exhibition will bring together manufacturers, suppliers, contractors, developers, architects, consultants, infrastructure companies, project leaders and government stakeholders.The event is expected to feature over 350 brands and more than 18,000 trade professionals. It will cover concrete and cement, dry mortar, precast technologies, formwork, construction chemicals, industrial and commercial flooring, scaffolding, safety solutio..