Rs 18 Billion Rail Project Cleared for Northeast Region

06 Aug 2025 CW Team

The Union Cabinet has approved the construction of third and fourth railway lines between Aluabari Road and New Jalpaiguri under the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), a move aimed at enhancing rail connectivity and infrastructure in the North-East and eastern parts of India.

The 57-kilometre project is estimated to cost around Rs 17.86 billion and will improve operational efficiency, reduce congestion, and shorten travel time along the heavily used Delhi–Guwahati corridor. The NFR stated that the additional lines will significantly boost both passenger and freight traffic capacity.

The alignment passes through Bihar’s Kishanganj district and West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling, and Uttar Dinajpur districts, a region considered strategically vital due to its proximity to international borders with Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Nepal.

The infrastructure plan includes seven stations, 99 bridges, three road overbridges, and eight road underbridges. Once operational, the upgraded section is expected to handle an additional 21.6 million tonnes of cargo annually. The project is projected to save around Rs 25.51 billion in logistics costs and conserve approximately 214 million litres of diesel per year.

The development will facilitate more efficient movement of goods such as tea, timber, and agricultural produce, promoting local and regional economic growth. The NFR reaffirmed its commitment to timely and effective execution of the project, which aligns with broader goals of improving connectivity and development in the region.

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..