The Adani Group-run Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International (LGBI) Airport in Guwahati will move to its upcoming terminal by April 2025. The initial target to complete the terminal building, being developed at a total cost of over Rs.20 billion was December 2024 but it got delayed by around four months due to a change in design. In August 2020, the Union Cabinet accorded its approval for leasing the Guwahati airport for operation, management and development to Adani Enterprises for 50 years. The Airport Authority of India (AAI) was developing the new terminal before the management was transferred to the Gujarat-based entity in October 2021.

First phase of Patna Metro will be completed by 2025
Nitin Naveen, Minister, Bihar Urban Development, said that the first phase of the Patna Metro Project will be completed by 2025. The metro will operate between Malahi Pakadi and the Bus Stand in Patna.
He said that funding for the project is a collaborative effort with 20 per cent coming from the Bihar government,20 percent from the central government, and the remaining 60 per cent from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). He said that the second and third phases of the project are progressing rapidly and will be completed soon. He highlighted that JICA's approval has expedited the entire project.

Trial run of Delhi government's ambitious Mohalla bus service kicks off
The trial run of the Delhi government's Mohalla bus service commenced on two routes, Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said. He said there will be 2,080 buses, painted green for easy identification by passengers, under the scheme and the government plans to introduce all by 2025. Of these, 1,040 will be operated by the DTC and the rest by DIMTS. The fare will be the same as AC buses of the Delhi government and women can avail free rides using Pink passes. Introduction of the Mohalla bus service marks a significant step towards enhancing last-mile connectivity in the city.

South India's first double-decker rail-cum-road flyover opens for trial run
South India's first double-decker rail-cum-road flyover was partially opened for a trial run for the public. DK Shivakumar, Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister conducted a 'trial walk' on the newly built flyover, which stretches from Ragigudda to Central Silk Board, and is part of the Yellow Line of the Bengaluru Metro. This double decker flyover built by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL) at a cost of Rs.4.49 billion will be open for vehicular movement only on one side of the flyover. The Central Silk Board Junction intersects with both the Outer Ring Road and Hosur Road. It is the busiest junction of Bengaluru city, which has a large volume of vehicular movement and is a bottleneck for traffic flow. The rail-cum-road flyover has been built to ease traffic congestion.

Four-lane road from Umiam in Meghalaya to Assam's Silchar gets approval
The Centre has approved `240 billion for construction of a four-lane road from Umiam to Silchar via East Jaintia Hills district to improve the road connectivity to Assam, Mizoram and Tripura, Prestone Tynsong, Deputy Chief Minister, Meghalaya said. He said that out of the total amount approved, `120 billion has been sanctioned for construction of a 100-km stretch of road between Umiam and Malidor (both in Meghalaya). The amount also includes compensation for landowners. He said that this project will help ease travel to Silchar, Mizoram and Tripura, connecting Guwahati in Assam.

The Bairabi-Sairang railway line may be completed by 2025
The Bairabi-Sairang railway line, which will put Mizoram on the country's railway map, may be commissioned by July next year. About 93 per cent of work for the 51.38-km line has already been completed. There are four stations on the line -- Hortoki, Kawnpui, Mualkhang and Sairang, and the governor was informed that the line till Hortoki will be commissioned in the next few days. A successful trial run has already been done on the Bairabi-Hortoki section. Services till the Mualkhang station would also be started in the next few months. The line till Sairang near state capital Aizawl will be eventually commissioned by July next year.

State government signs Rs.1 trillion MoU with HUDCO
The state government of Rajasthan signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) to provide financial assistance of `1 trillion. Bhajanlal Sharma, Chief Minister (CM), Rajasthan, said that the state government is determined to make Rajasthan a leader in energy and to strengthen the infrastructure for drinking water and irrigation.
CM Sharma while addressing the virtual inauguration of the Jaisalmer solar plant said that production of renewable energy from a 400 MW solar power plant in Jaisalmer by ReNew, a leading company in renewable energy production, is an important step towards making the state self-reliant and that production of the remaining 200 MW will start by October.

State transport department to launch special buses for women in Kolkata
To ensure the safety and comfort of women during office hours, the West Bengal Transport Department is set to introduce two exclusive ladies' special buses in Kolkata. The non-AC buses, with women conductors, will depart from Howrah Station towards Ballygunge, covering parts of central and south Kolkata. This service is designed to assist commuters from the districts along the Howrah-Bandel line, providing a convenient connection from the terminal station to their workplaces along the route during the morning rush hours. The service will be inaugurated in the presence of Transport Minister Snehasis Chakraborty. Bus timings have been coordinated with the arrival times of ladies special trains on the Howrah Burdwan line of Eastern Railway and the Howrah-Kharagpur line of South-Eastern Railway in the morning. The term 'Ladies Special' will be prominently displayed on route boards to deter others from boarding.

IRCON International bags Rs.7.5 billion contract for broad gauge track installation
Ircon International has bagged a contract worth Rs.7.5 billion from Rail Vikas Nigam for a new broad gauge track installation between Rishikesh and Karanprayag in Uttarakhand. Ircon International is a subsidiary of Indian Railways and focuses on construction of infrastructure projects. Ircon International will complete the design, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of broad gauge ballastless track for Rail Vikas Nigam.
Contact: Ircon International
Website: www.ircon.org

Urban local bodies in state to contribute to $1 trillion economy goal
The Uttar Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister Adityanath, plans to make local bodies self-reliant and enhance their income. The UP government aims to fortify all urban local bodies (ULBs) by making substantial investments in infrastructure and services, transforming them into significant sources of revenue and enabling them to contribute effectively to the goal of a $1 trillion economy.
This initiative will boost the income of corporations, municipalities, and nagar panchayats. ULBs will select 38 projects in a phased manner. The proposed investments will focus on administrative and utility infrastructure, including office buildings, urban kiosks, mechanised and other types of parking and road junctions.

Construction begins on Germany's first land-based LNG terminal
The construction of Germany's first land-based liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal at the inland port of Stade kicked off with the goal of starting operation in 2027, said the project firm Hanseatic Energy Hub (HEH). The project on the river Elbe is part of Germany's broader efforts to diversify its energy sources after a sudden drop of Russian gas imports following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. The terminal will include two LNG tanks with capacity of 240,000 cubic metres each and will be ammonia-ready as Germany and its neighbours aim to replace gas with green hydrogen and its derivatives in the future to cut carbon-dioxide emissions. After six years of planning and permitting, the construction has now begun.

PSU shipyard GRSE to build ocean-going tug for Bangladesh
PSU shipyard Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) signed a pact with Bangladesh's defence ministry to construct an ocean-going tug for it. The ship, worth about USD 21 million, will be delivered to Bangladesh within 24 months as per the contract. The vessel will be nearly 61 metres long and 15.80 metres wide, with a maximum speed of at least 13 knots when fully loaded.
Contact: PSU shipyard Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers
Website: www.grse.in

Work underway on world's longest road and rail tunnel
The first section of the world's longest [11-mile] underwater road and rail tunnel, under the Baltic Sea linking southern Denmark to northern Germany, has been constructed, putting the project on track for completion by the end of the decade and will contribute to the transport sector's green transition. At 18,000 metres, the Fehmarnbelt tunnel will link the Danish island of Lolland with the German island of Fehmarn. Completion of the tunnel is scheduled for 2029 and will apparently cut travel time between the countries from 45 minutes by ferry to seven minutes by train. Construction began in 2020 on the Danish side and 2021 on the German side, according to Femern, the Copenhagen-based firm charged with designing and planning the tunnel.

World's first hydrogen-powered passenger ferry, and its free!
The world's first hydrogen-powered commercial passenger ferry will start operating on San Francisco Bay as part of plans to phase out diesel-powered vessels and reduce planet-warming carbon emissions. The 70-foot catamaran, ‘MV Sea Change’, will transport up to 75 passengers along the waterfront between Pier 41 and the downtown San Francisco ferry terminal. The service will be free for six months while it's being run as part of a pilot programme. Sea Change can travel about 300 nautical miles and operate for 16 hours before it needs to refuel. The fuel cells produce electricity by combining oxygen and hydrogen in an electrochemical reaction that emits water as a byproduct.

World’s largest EV battery maker powers four-tonne electric plane
CATL, the world’s biggest electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturer, achieved a milestone by testing a battery that powers a four-tonne electric aircraft. This advancement marks a significant step forward in the development of commercial electric planes, which could play a crucial role in reducing aviation’s impact on global warming. CATL’s new condensed battery has achieved an impressive energy density of up to 500 watt-hours per kilogram per cell, doubling the average energy density of current EV batteries. This remarkable leap is essential for the viability of electric aircraft, providing the necessary power without adding excessive weight.
Contact: CATL
Website : www.catl.com