07 Mar 2026

The Delhi government has started issuing the Saheli Pink Smart Card to provide free bus travel to women residents and enable seamless access to metro and Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) services under the One Nation, One Card framework. The card replaces the earlier paper slip system used in DTC buses. Distribution began across nearly 50 centres in the city, with Aadhaar-based verification required for eligibility. On the first day, over 3,000 women collected the card. Authorities said the move will improve monitoring, reduce duplication, and simplify daily travel for women commuters.Read more

Kochi News Desk

07 Mar 2026

Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) has introduced Braille-enabled navigation facilities at Changampuzha Park metro station to improve accessibility for visually impaired commuters. Implemented with the support of the Confederation of Indian Industry Young Indians under Project Disha, the initiative includes tactile Braille station maps, Braille markings on handrails and Braille signboards identifying key facilities such as lifts, restrooms and exits. The system helps passengers understand the station layout through touch and move independently. Officials said the initiative is aimed at promoting inclusive public transport and enabling visually impaired commuters to travel with greater confidence.Read more

Pune News Desk

07 Mar 2026

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has finalised 34 locations across the city where parking facilities can be developed near Pune Metro stations to improve commuter access and last-mile connectivity. Most of these sites are within around 500 metres of Metro stations and fall under amenity spaces that can be used for organised parking. Civic officials have assessed the sites and found 31 suitable for development. Work has already started at four locations. The initiative aims to support Metro users who travel to stations using private vehicles and to strengthen the city's public transport network.Read more

Noida News Desk

06 Mar 2026

The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) has proposed a 500-acre FinTech hub in Sector 11 near the upcoming Noida International Airport and has invited expressions of interest from developers. The project is planned as a dedicated financial and technology ecosystem accommodating banking, digital finance, IT/ITeS and support services. Officials have indicated that stakeholder consultations are guiding the selection of a suitable development model, including possible public-private partnership options. The initiative forms part of YEIDA's master plan to position the region as a major fintech and institutional destination.Read more

06 Mar 2026

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has proposed a comprehensive mission to clean the 313-kilometre stretch of the Yamuna in the state, alongside key welfare and infrastructure measures in the 2026-27 budget. The plan includes scientific treatment of drain water, expansion of sewage capacity and stricter industrial monitoring. The budget also proposes raising minimum wages, installing remaining smart meters, expanding pilgrimage schemes, purchasing electric buses and creating a Special Assistance Fund of INR 100 crore to address salary delays. Air connectivity from Hisar is also set for expansion.Read more

06 Mar 2026

The Rural Works Department in Bihar has suspended three engineers and moved to blacklist a contractor following the collapse of a section of an under-construction bridge over the Ghoghari river in Gopalganj district, officials said earlier this week. The reinforced cement concrete bridge, part of a INR 2.87 crore project, gave way while casting work was ongoing in Gangwa village's Siddhwalia block, with no casualties reported. A preliminary inspection by the district magistrate found apparent use of substandard materials and poor supervision, prompting immediate departmental action against the project's assistant and junior engineers. The contractor, Bapudham Construction of Motihari, faces blacklisting amid rising public concern over recurring infrastructure failures and oversight lapses in the state's rural works. A high-level inquiry has been ordered to assess quality control and future accountability measures.Read more

06 Mar 2026

India's Indian Railways is preparing to absorb an estimated INR 90,000 crore escalation in the cost of the Mumbai -Ahmedabad bullet train project, raising the total project outlay to nearly INR 1.98 lakh crore from the originally sanctioned INR 1.08 lakh crore. The cost overrun, driven primarily by delays in land acquisition and associated logistical challenges, represents an approximate 83 per cent increase on initial estimates. Senior officials have indicated that additional borrowing from the Japan International Cooperation Agency is unlikely, with the railways instead planning to meet the shortfall largely through gross budgetary support and increased allocations from the Union Budget. The revised estimate will be presented for approval to the Union Cabinet, and the finance ministry is expected to explore funding options to ensure project continuity.Read more

Chennai News Desk

06 Mar 2026

Chennai Metro Rail Limited has outlined plans to develop approximately 73 lakh sq ft of land at 37 station precincts along its Phase II metro corridors as part of transit-oriented development (TOD) initiatives, officials said earlier this week. The move is aimed at unlocking non-fare revenue and catalysing mixed-use urban development by leveraging surplus land parcels around metro infrastructure. Proposed uses include commercial space, last-mile connectivity hubs, multi-level parking and public amenities. Land parcels earmarked span prime urban nodes such as Thousand Lights, Nandanam, Alandur and St Thomas Mount, with commercial development to be pursued via transparent bidding or joint ventures, subject to approvals. The TOD programme aligns with broader government efforts to integrate public transport and urban growth, boost ridership, and attract private investment into Chennai's rapidly expanding metro network.Read more

06 Mar 2026

Private investment in India's national highways sector is poised to approach INR 1 trillion in the current financial year FY27, driven by the re-emergence of the build-operate-transfer (BOT) toll model and plans to open large-scale corridors to private bidders. Projects worth around INR 35,000 crore are expected to be tendered in the first quarter of the year, with further opportunities worth INR 50,000-60,000 crore likely to follow later in the year. The renewed focus on BOT projects, after a period of subdued private participation, reflects efforts by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the National Highways Authority of India to attract capital by de-risking revenue streams and expanding avenues for institutional investors. This anticipated private commitment would mark one of the highest annual inflows of private capital into India's roads sector, underscoring policy shifts aimed at crowding in long-term funding for infrastructure.Read more

06 Mar 2026

The Chandigarh administration has initiated the first comprehensive amendments to the Chandigarh Master Plan 2031 (CMP-2031), originally notified in April 2015, as part of a broader effort to modernise urban planning and optimise scarce land resources, officials said in the past week. The revisions follow the central government's Deregulation 2.0 push and are aimed at enhancing land-use efficiency while retaining the city's unique urban identity. Key proposed changes include permitting higher building heights and floor area ratios (FAR) in peripheral areas, liberalising fire safety norms, converting leasehold industrial plots to freehold, introducing zoning flexibility, doing away with minimum land requirements for private schools and creating a strategic land bank. The draft amendments are expected shortly after directions to submit preliminary proposals were issued by the Union Territory's chief secretary, with assurances that heritage and planning principles will be respected.Read more