Railways Makes Final Tunnel Breakthrough on Khurda-Balangir Line

03 Jun 2025 CW Team

The breakthrough, achieved on May 30, marked the completion of excavation work for all seven planned tunnels along the route, accomplished using the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM).

ECoR stated that Tunnel T2 is the second longest tunnel in Nayagarh district, stretching 1,775 metres and incorporating a 2-degree curve. It highlighted that the tunnel plays a significant role in the overall project and was constructed using advanced technologies and tunneling techniques to navigate the difficult terrain of the Eastern Ghats. The achievement, according to the railway authority, sets a new standard in infrastructure execution for Indian Railways.

With the completion of Tunnel T2, all seven tunnels across the 75-kilometre stretch between Daspalla and Purunakatak have now been successfully excavated, ECoR confirmed.

A significant portion of the Khurda Road-Balangir rail corridor, which spans 301 kilometres, is already operational. The functional sections include the 106-km stretch from Khurda Road to Daspalla and the 120-km segment from Balangir to Purunakatak. Work is currently underway on the remaining 75-km stretch from Purunakatak to Adhenigarh.

Once the entire line is operational, it is expected to significantly cut down travel time between Bhubaneswar and Balangir. The project will also enhance access to education, healthcare, and markets, while providing uninterrupted rail connectivity between eastern and western Odisha. ECoR noted that this flagship infrastructure initiative is poised to transform regional transport, close critical infrastructure gaps, and drive inclusive economic growth across the state.

News source: Odisha Bytes

The Khurda Road-Balangir rail line project has reached a major milestone with the successful breakthrough of Tunnel T2, located between Buguda and Daspalla in Odisha’s Nayagarh district. The East Coast Railway (ECoR) announced the development.The breakthrough, achieved on May 30, marked the completion of excavation work for all seven planned tunnels along the route, accomplished using the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM).ECoR stated that Tunnel T2 is the second longest tunnel in Nayagarh district, stretching 1,775 metres and incorporating a 2-degree curve. It highlighted that the tunnel plays a significant role in the overall project and was constructed using advanced technologies and tunneling techniques to navigate the difficult terrain of the Eastern Ghats. The achievement, according to the railway authority, sets a new standard in infrastructure execution for Indian Railways.With the completion of Tunnel T2, all seven tunnels across the 75-kilometre stretch between Daspalla and Purunakatak have now been successfully excavated, ECoR confirmed.A significant portion of the Khurda Road-Balangir rail corridor, which spans 301 kilometres, is already operational. The functional sections include the 106-km stretch from Khurda Road to Daspalla and the 120-km segment from Balangir to Purunakatak. Work is currently underway on the remaining 75-km stretch from Purunakatak to Adhenigarh.Once the entire line is operational, it is expected to significantly cut down travel time between Bhubaneswar and Balangir. The project will also enhance access to education, healthcare, and markets, while providing uninterrupted rail connectivity between eastern and western Odisha. ECoR noted that this flagship infrastructure initiative is poised to transform regional transport, close critical infrastructure gaps, and drive inclusive economic growth across the state.News source: Odisha Bytes

Real Estate

02 Apr 2026

Indian real estate attracts USD 1.4 bn institutional investments in Q1 2026: Vestian

Institutional investments in India’s real estate sector touched USD 1.4 billion in Q1 2026, marking the highest first-quarter inflow since 2022, according to Vestian. While investments fell 62 per cent quarter-on-quarter due to an exceptionally high base in the previous quarter, they rose 74 per cent compared to the same period last year, reflecting sustained investor confidence despite rising geopolitical and macroeconomic challenges.Commercial real estate remained the key driver of investment activity during the quarter, accounting for 80 per cent of total inflows, sharply higher than 38 p..

Infrastructure Transport

02 Apr 2026

VECV crosses 1 lakh annual vehicle sales milestone in FY26

VE Commercial Vehicles (VECV), a joint venture between Volvo Group and Eicher Motors, has surpassed the 1 lakh annual sales mark in FY 2025–26, recording its highest-ever commercial vehicle sales performance. The company said it sold more than 100,000 vehicles during the year, marking a major milestone aligned with the original vision of the Volvo–Eicher joint venture.The strong performance was supported by demand across categories. Light and Medium Duty (LMD) trucks contributed 47,789 units, accounting for 46.1 per cent of total sales. Heavy Duty (HD) trucks recorded 26,867 units (25.9 pe..

Technology

02 Apr 2026

Rodic Digital & Advisory partners SatSure to deploy EO intelligence in public sector

Rodic Digital & Advisory (RDA), the strategic advisory and digital transformation arm of Rodic Consultants, has signed a strategic cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with SatSure to jointly pursue opportunities in India’s public sector. The collaboration aims to integrate high-resolution Earth Observation (EO) data and geospatial AI into government workflows to strengthen monitoring, compliance, and operational decision-making across key sectors.The partnership combines SatSure’s Earth intelligence capabilities with RDA’s expertise in government digital transformation and ..