India is set to make it easier for local companies, especially new entrants, to bid for road projects as the government gives a big push towards Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. Major changes in the eligibility criteria for projects built on the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) mode, including easing of financial and technical criteria, are under […]
Day: October 20, 2020
Jet Airways’ second coming will depend on reclaiming slots
Getting its slots given to other Indian carriers back will be a key factor in Jet Airways taking to the skies again under new owners. While the airline had over 600 daily departures from and within India till late 2018, the consortium will soon seek an assurance from aviation authorities about getting slots back as […]
Unscheduled power cuts back as winter approaches
Ahead of winter the Kashmir Power Development Corporation Limited (KPDCL) has resorted to unscheduled power cuts in both metered as well as non-metered areas, the officials however are putting onus on consumers for misusing electricity. The power crisis in Kashmir has become a natural phenomena owing to the fact that the power department has failed […]
50% decline in Covid positive passengers at Srinagar Airport
Despite a constant increase in the number of flights and incoming passengers, the Covid19 positivity rate at the Srinagar International Airport has witnessed a drop of almost 50 per cent this month. As per official figures, compared to 30 to 40 daily positive cases of inbound passengers seen in September, the rate has now dropped […]
Proposed Gurez-Bandipora tunnel stuck at DPR stage
Five years on, the fate of Gurez-Bandipora tunnel hangs in balance as the project has not moved beyond DPR stage. According to sources, a feasibility cum DPR was prepared by the project BEACON along with a hired consulting agency in 2015. According to the DPR, the 18-km long tunnel having the approach across Razdan Pass […]
Awanta Bhawan residents heave sigh of relief
Residents in the city outskirts have heaved a sigh of relief after the authorities expedited the work of macadamizing road from Soura to Ilahi Bagh. “We had been suffering for many years. We are thankful to the R&B staff especially the executive engineer Fayaz Ahmad Mir, AEE Nasir Amin, JE Javed Iqbal and other concerned […]
India loses Farzad gas field in Persian Gulf
India has all but lost the ONGC Videsh Ltd-discovered Farzad-B gas field in the Persian Gulf after Iran decided to prefer domestic companies over foreign firms for the development of the field, sources said. ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL), the overseas investment arm of state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC), had in 2008 discovered a […]
IL&FS: Vineet Nayyar steps down
The IL&FS group on Monday said Vineet Nayyar has resigned as the company’s executive vice-chairman because of poor health. A statement from IL&FS said Nayyar requested the board to relieve him of his duties as the executive vice-chairman with effect from October 31, 2020, on grounds of “indifferent health”. “The board, in its meeting held […]
India likely to let buyers decide on Air India debt
India is ready to sweeten the deal for the sale of Air India Ltd., the loss-making state-owned carrier, a finance ministry official said. The government is considering allowing potential suitors for Air India decide how much of the flag carrier’s debt they want to take on as part of the deal, Disinvestment Secretary Tuhin Kanta […]
Thermal, coking coal imports at major ports dip 25% to 55 MT in Apr-Sep: IPA
Disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic continued to impact cargo movement in India, with thermal and coking coal imports at 12 major ports falling 25.13 per cent year-on-year to 55.41 million tonnes (MT) in April-September, according to the apex ports’ body IPA. Coal volumes at the 12 major ports declined for the sixth straight month […]
SECL plans 8 projs worth Rs 3,100 cr for improving coal evacuation
Coal India-arm SECL is executing eight ‘first mile connectivity’ projects with an estimated capital outlay of Rs 3,100 crore to evacuate dry fuel, especially incremental production under the proposed plan to scale up the maharatna firm’s output to 1 billion tonnes. The move will also help power plants at farther most locations in northern and […]
NHAI fined Rs5 lakh for lack of dust control measures
The Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) on Monday penalised the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Rs 5 lakh for dust emission on the stretch connecting the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway with Dwarka Expressway, from Kherki Daula, and issued a show cause notice in this regard. The penalty has been imposed while in accordance with the […]