Tamil Nadu Railway Projects Get Funding Boost in 2025

16 May 2025 CW Team

Following sustained pressure from Tamil Nadu legislators and public activists, the Union Railway Ministry has more than doubled its allocation for new railway line projects in the state, setting aside Rs 3.95 billion for the financial year 2025—up from Rs 2.22 billion in 2024.

This budget enhancement is set to revive nine key railway lines, many of which have seen little to no progress for years. Projects such as Chennai–Cuddalore via Mamallapuram, Avadi–Sriperumbudur–Guduvanchery, and Tindivanam–Tiruvannamalai will now move forward after languishing since their initial announcements—some dating as far back as 2007—due to token allocations of Rs 1,000 that kept them on record without advancing them.

A notable beneficiary is the Madurai–Tuticorin via Aruppukottai project, which has received Rs 550 million—three times last year’s allocation. This comes after a public misstatement by Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who incorrectly claimed the state government had opposed the project, a remark he later retracted.

Despite the boost, concerns persist. Activists point out that funding still falls short of practical requirements. “Tuticorin district alone needs Rs 150 million for land acquisition. How will Rs 550 million cover the entire 143-kilometre line?” asked Madurai-based lawyer R Srinivasan. Similarly, Rs 427 million has been sanctioned for the Tindivanam–Tiruvannamalai project, although just one district requires Rs 950 million for land.

Southern Railway officials maintain that this increase signals genuine progress. Land acquisition for the Tindivanam–Nagari corridor is nearly complete, and surveys for the Sriperumbudur–Guduvanchery stretch are in their final stages. Civil work is expected to commence once final clearances are secured.

Infrastructure Urban

05 Nov 2025

TBO Tek Q2 Profit Climbs 12%, Revenue Surges 26% YoY

TBO Tek Limited one of the world’s largest travel distribution platforms, reported a solid performance for Q2 FY26 with a 26 per cent year-on-year increase in revenue to Rs 5.68 billion, reflecting broad-based growth and improving profitability.The company recorded a Gross Transaction Value (GTV) of Rs 8,901 crore, up 12 per cent YoY, driven by strong performance across Europe, MEA, and APAC regions. Adjusted EBITDA before acquisition-related costs stood at Rs 1.04 billion, up 16 per cent YoY, translating into an 18.32 per cent margin compared to 16.56 per cent in Q1 FY26. Profit after tax r..

Northern Graphite, Rain Carbon Secure R&D Grant for Greener Battery Materials

Northern Graphite Corporation and Rain Carbon Canada Inc, a subsidiary of Rain Carbon Inc, have jointly received up to C$860,000 (€530,000) in funding under the Canada–Germany Collaborative Industrial Research and Development Programme to develop sustainable battery anode materials.The two-year, C$2.2 million project aims to transform natural graphite processing by-products into high-performance, battery-grade anode material (BAM). Supported by the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Programme (NRC IRAP) and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs a..

Antony Waste Q2 Revenue Jumps 16%; Subsidiary Wins Rs 3,200 Cr WtE Projects

Antony Waste Handling Cell Limited (AWHCL), a leading player in India’s municipal solid waste management sector, announced a 16 per cent year-on-year increase in total operating revenue to Rs 2.33 billion for Q2 FY26. The growth was driven by higher waste volumes, escalated contracts, and strong operational execution.EBITDA rose 18 per cent to Rs 570 million, with margins steady at 21.6 per cent, while profit after tax stood at Rs 173 million, up 13 per cent YoY. Revenue from Municipal Solid Waste Collection and Transportation (MSW C&T) reached Rs 1.605 billion, and MSW Processing re..