Budget 2020 allocation to Sagarmala is lower than the cost of planned initiatives

01 Feb 2020 CW Staff

For ports and waterways, Budget 2020 has laid emphasis on considering corporatising at least one major port and its listing on stock exchanges. It has mentioned a governance framework keeping with global benchmarks needed for more efficient seaports. Also, economic activity along river banks to be energized as per Prime Minister’s Arth Ganga concept.

Sharing his reaction on the Budget 2020 Outlook for the Ports sector, K Ravichandran, Senior Vice President & Group Head, Corporate Ratings, ICRA, says, “The government announced that the development on the National Waterway -1 is expected to be completed shortly. Further, the 890 km Dhubri-Sadiya connectivity will be done by 2022. This will make movement of freight/passengers cheaper.” He adds, “The announcement to continue support for the development of other inland waterways (apart from National Waterway 1) is a positive. Further, announced plans to corporatise at least one of the 12 major ports and subsequently list it on the exchanges is a positive step towards government disinvestment in the ports sector.”

“However,” Ravichandran says, “…as seen in previous years, the budget allocation to the Sagarmala projects is lower than the cost of planned initiatives. The revised estimate for Sagarmala in 2019-20 was low – 44 per cent of the Rs 3.17-billion budget estimate for asset creation. The budget allocation for 2020-21 has accordingly been reduced to Rs 2.97 billion.”

Overall, the impact of the budget is neutral on the sector.

Infrastructure Transport

30 May 2026

Chembur Metro to Boost East Mumbai Links

MMRDA is advancing eastern Mumbai’s urban mobility network, with the upcoming Chembur Metro Station set to emerge as a key interchange and the Mumbai Monorail preparing for relaunch.Dr Sanjay Mukherjee, Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA, conducted a site visit to Chembur Metro Station along with Kanhuraj Bagate, Managing Director, MMMOCL. He also visited the nearby VN Purav Monorail Station to review system preparedness and ease of interconnectivity.Once operational, the interchange is expected to offer commuters across the eastern suburbs quicker access, smoother transfers and seamless conne..

Herrenknecht TBMs Drive Thane–Borivali Tunnel Progress

Herrenknecht India has supplied two of the four tunnel boring machines (TBMs) required for the 11-km Thane–Borivali Twin Tunnel Project being developed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). The project is expected to reduce travel time between Thane and Borivali from 60–90 minutes to around 15 minutes while easing congestion across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.The first two Single Shield TBMs, named Nayak and Arjuna, feature 13.34-m cutterhead diameters and are designed for hard-rock excavation. They will be deployed to tunnel through the challenging geological..

KBL Launches Smart Skid Mounted Fire Pump Set

Kirloskar Brothers (KBL) has launched its Smart Skid Mounted Fire Pump Set, an integrated fire protection solution designed to improve operational efficiency, remote monitoring and installation flexibility. The system was inaugurated by Ms Madhuritai Misal, Hon. Minister of State for Urban Development, Government of Maharashtra.The Smart Skid Mounted Fire Pump Set is a factory-tested, pre-packaged solution that combines FM/UL-certified motor and engine pump sets with IoT-enabled remote monitoring. Designed to deliver a flow rate of 170 m³/hr at a head of 100 metres, the system aims to provide..