Centre to Revise Char Dham Road Project to Mitigate Landslide Risks

09 Aug 2024 CW Team

In a statement made in the Rajya Sabha, Nitin Gadkari, the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, discussed the threat of landslides in Uttarakhand, specifically in the Bhagirathi eco-sensitive zone. He mentioned that the government was contemplating modifications to some of the roads being constructed under the Chardham project due to these concerns.

Gadkari was addressing a question posed by Ranjit Ranjan, a Congress member from Chhattisgarh. Ranjan had highlighted that, out of the nearly 900 kilometers of roads planned under the Chardham project, only 150 kilometres of the final stretch remained to be completed. He inquired whether it was possible to avoid widening the roads in this area, which lies within the Bhagirathi River zone, known for maintaining the river Ganga?s natural flow.

Gadkari explained that the stretch in question was strategically significant for transporting defence equipment to the China border. Given the frequent landslides in the region, three measures had been decided upon: first, to employ a via-duct to ensure the road does not physically touch the mountain; second, to construct a concrete shelter for landslide protection; and third, to potentially build tunnels, even if it required an additional expenditure of Rs 20 to Rs 40 billion. He emphasised the importance of protecting the Bhagirathi eco-sensitive zone, ensuring that trees were preserved, noting that nearly 30 million trees had been planted and 78,000 transplanted.

Gadkari also recalled that last November, a section of the Silkyara tunnel, part of the Chardham project, had collapsed, trapping miners who were eventually rescued after a two-week operation.

The Chardham project had been controversial due to its tunnelling and excavation through unstable Himalayan terrain, as well as the decision by project proponents to divide it into 53 smaller segments to avoid a cumulative impact assessment.

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..