Articles by Soumya Chatterjee
59 instances of major deficiencies found in national highways since 2019: Nitin Gadkari
Maharashtra reported 16 instances of deficiencies in the national highways, followed by 11 in Rajasthan and 7 in Uttar Pradesh
Published on Apr 02, 2025 08:23 PM IST
Infra services must in DPRs of PMAY 2.0: MoHUA report
MoHUA mandates comprehensive DPRs for PMAY 2.0, ensuring timely infrastructure delivery and completion certificates for final funding, addressing previous implementation gaps.
Published on Mar 27, 2025 08:34 AM IST
NHAI completes largest road monetisation bid
With this, NHIT will hold a diversified portfolio of 26 operating toll roads (41 toll plazas) with an aggregate length of 2,345 km, spread across 12 states, and concession periods ranging from 20 to 30 years.
Published on Mar 27, 2025 07:08 AM IST
Soumya Chatterjee, New Delhi
On parliamentary panel’s report, govt says changes mandated in DPR on PMAY-U 2.0
The ministry said the third and final instalment for PMAY 2.0’s central government assistance will only be released upon getting completion certificate
Published on Mar 26, 2025 08:26 PM IST
Parliamentary panel recommends dual-track approach for NHAI’s twin challenges
The committee recommended a thorough portfolio analysis of all NHAI projects to identify those at critical stages where funding delays would cause disproportionate impact,
Published on Mar 25, 2025 10:41 PM IST
Policy quagmires bog down flagship urban revamp plans
HT spoke with sectoral practitioners including officials in MoHUA as well as those serving in state governments to understand the situation.
Published on Mar 17, 2025 05:50 AM IST
Housing affairs panel flags stalled schemes, underutilisation of funds
Stating examples of the Urban Challenge Fund and the industrial housing scheme, the committee found that these were yet to be designed in consultation with stakeholders.
Published on Mar 13, 2025 07:34 AM IST
Soumya Chatterjee, New Delhi
Delhi govt free bus service boosted women’s access to job, education: Study
The research paper, ’Fare-free Bus Travel Scheme for Women: Lessons from Delhi’ by WRI India, reveals that the scheme primarily benefits women from low-income families
Updated on Mar 07, 2025 01:33 PM IST
Govt aims to reduce road accident rates by 50% by 2030: Nitin Gadkari
Gadkari called upon the road construction industry to develop strategies to enhance road safety by adopting newer technologies
Updated on Mar 06, 2025 10:16 PM IST
Govt clears ropeways at two Uttarakhand religious sites
Both will be complete in four to six years and built at a combined cost of ₹6,811 crore, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said during a press briefing
Published on Mar 06, 2025 06:54 AM IST
Union Cabinet approves two ropeway projects at Kedernath and Hemkund Sahib
The system will have a design capacity of 1,800 passengers per hour per direction carrying 18,000 passengers per day based on a tri-cable detachable gondola (3S) technology
Updated on Mar 05, 2025 04:47 PM IST
Tata Motors begins trials of hydrogen-powered trucks for long haul transportation
The trials will continue for 24 months and involve deployment of 16 advanced hydrogen-powered vehicles with different configurations and payload capacities
Published on Mar 04, 2025 10:16 PM IST
Ahmedabad first urban centre of focus on climate budget
Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation becomes India's first local body to include a climate chapter in its budget, allocating ₹5,619.58 crore for climate action.
Updated on Mar 03, 2025 04:33 AM IST
Soumya Chatterjee, New Delhi
Govt defers roll-out of new satellite-based toll system
The Union government has decided to put on hold the rollout of a satellite-based highway toll collection system that could eventually pave the way for fare booths to be removed
Published on Mar 01, 2025 06:58 AM IST
MORTH sets ₹35,000-cr target for private investment in PPP projects, 17% rise
The asset monetisation target by MoRTH from developed stretches has been kept the same as the current year at ₹30,000 crore in the detailed demand for grants by the ministry
Published on Feb 26, 2025 07:22 PM IST
Highways Infrastructure Trust secures R 8,000 crore debt finance
This funding will be used for the TOT (Toll, Operate and Transfer) functioning of a 251 km long stretch on the Hyderabad-Nagpur corridor of NH-44 in Telangana and 12 other road projects
Published on Feb 19, 2025 08:29 PM IST
Using AI to verify toll collections on NH: Nitin Gadkari
Gadkari was responding to a question by DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran on steps taken by the government to tackle frauds related to toll collection on national highways
Published on Feb 13, 2025 04:28 PM IST
5 infra projects under Gati Shakti reviewed
Among the projects reviewed was the second phase of the Maharishi Valmiki International Airport in Ayodhya.
Published on Feb 13, 2025 08:56 AM IST
Soumya Chatterjee, New Delhi
Ministerial group reviews 5 key infra projects under PM Gati Shakti
The five PM Gati Shakti projects reviewed included the second phase of the Ayodhya airport, the Delhi-Panipat-Karnal Namo Bharat project, and Line 4 of Pune Metro
Updated on Feb 12, 2025 09:57 PM IST
For the first time in 4 decades, all NCR states ruled by a single party
Experts said that NCR being governed by BJP could ease some of the contentious issues related to regional planning and administration.
Updated on Feb 09, 2025 02:05 AM IST
RBI rate cut to ease demand-supply gap in affordable housing, boost sector
The NAREDCO president is also hopeful that the commercial real estate segment will benefit as well, as lower borrowing costs will make it more attractive for businesses to invest in office spaces and other commercial properties
Published on Feb 07, 2025 05:11 PM IST
Rejubit: CRRI launches made-in-India agent for recycling old bitumen roads
Once available at scale, this chemical agent will also reduce the demand for new raw materials, a significant portion of which are currently imported
Updated on Feb 07, 2025 09:43 AM IST
Govt says Central Vista project cost increased; cites inflation, rise in GST
Also, Union minister Tokhan Sahu said the revised completion date of the Common Central Secretariat buildings is running a year later than the original one.
Updated on Feb 07, 2025 04:27 AM IST
Soumya Chatterjee, New Delhi
No demand from states for PMAY 2.0 as repurposed rental houses remain vacant
A recent report by the Confederation of Indian Industry and real estate consultants Knight Frank released in December 2024 predicted the affordable housing shortage to touch 31.2 million units by 2030.
Published on Feb 04, 2025 12:05 PM IST
₹15k-cr SWAMIH fund to help stalled projects
Union FM Nirmala Sitharaman announced a ₹15,000 crore SWAMIH 2.0 fund to support stressed housing projects, aiding middle-class families facing EMI and rent burdens.
Published on Feb 02, 2025 08:04 AM IST
Centre unveils ₹1L-cr urban challenge fund, revamped PM-SVANidhi
Sitharaman said urban development is among the six key areas where the budget aims at “transformative” reforms, taxation, financial sector, power sector, mining, regulatory reforms
Published on Feb 02, 2025 08:02 AM IST
NHAI’s outstanding liabilities reduced by ₹ 50,652 cr
The debt reduction of NHAI was primarily through the National Highways Infra Trust, the Infrastructure Investment Trust to shed high interest loans from commercial banks
Published on Feb 01, 2025 06:40 PM IST
Union budget: Sitharaman announces ₹15,000 cr for stressed housing projects
In her budget speech, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman 40,000 units in stressed housing projects will be completed in 2025, further helping middle-class families
Published on Feb 01, 2025 06:00 PM IST
₹1 lakh crore plan to transform cities into ‘growth hubs’: Sitharaman
The finance minister said that urban development is among the six key areas where the budget aims at “transformative” reforms.
Updated on Feb 01, 2025 05:25 PM IST
Govt infra spending rises, but private sector participation limited
The government’s National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) initiative has achieved transactions worth ₹3.86 lakh crore against a target of ₹4.30 lakh crore for FY22-24.
Published on Feb 01, 2025 07:20 AM IST
Soumya Chatterjee, New Delhi