India funds Cochin transshipment hub amidst Sri Lankan crisis

12 May 2022 CW Team

The Indian Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) has decided to fund a Rs 300 crore ($38.8 million) project to deepen Cochin Port's channel, improving the port's economic position by capitalising on Sri Lanka's traffic congestion.

The MoPSW expects an increase in transshipment operations at Cochin Port, India's only international container transhipment terminal, after economic and political turbulence and reports of congestion at Colombo Port (ICTT).

The decision to deepen the channel from 14.5 to 18 metres is part of an effort to reduce India's reliance on Colombo for container freight shipping and receiving.

Due to the protracted crisis, the transshipment volume at the ICTT has already climbed to 13,609 TEU in March 2022, up from 8,394 TEU the previous year, according to Cochin Port statistics.

According to the port administration, deepening the canal can be done swiftly to take advantage of the opportunity, but an overall capacity expansion may take longer.

Infrastructure Transport

15 Oct 2025

BMC Gets CRZ Nod For Rs 40 Million Gorai Bridge Rebuild

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has secured Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance for the reconstruction of the Poisar River bridge in Gorai, located in Mumbai’s western suburbs. However, the proposed demolition of the existing 100-metre bridge has sparked opposition from local residents, who claim it serves as the only direct access route between the Lower and Upper Koliwada areas. The three-decade-old bridge, situated within the CRZ buffer zone, was recently declared structurally unsafe following a civic audit. The BMC has sanctioned its reconstruction at an estimated cost ..

NHAI Completes Rs 15.9 Billion Four-Lane Stretch On ECR

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has completed the four-laning of the 38 km Puducherry–Poondiyankuppam stretch, ending near Cuddalore, in a development that will cut travel time by up to two hours, according to a report by The New Indian Express. The upgraded section, built at a cost of Rs 15.9 billion under the Bharatmala Pariyojana Phase I, marks a major milestone in the ongoing East Coast Road (ECR) widening programme. The project promises a smoother, faster drive for motorists travelling towards Cuddalore, Chidambaram, Sirkazhi, and Nagapattinam. With this completion, 22..

Encroachments Delay Rs 1 Billion Ghatkopar Bridge Project

The construction of a new cable-stayed rail overbridge at Ghatkopar and the widening of the Andheri–Ghatkopar Link Road (AGLR) have been delayed due to the presence of nearly 250 encroached structures on both sides of the road. In response, Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani has directed officials to carry out a structural audit of the existing bridge over the railway line and enforce temporary restrictions on heavy vehicles to ensure public safety. The bridge, which starts at the Golibar Road junction near LBS Marg and extends up to the Eastern Express Highway (EEH), serves as a critic..