Visakhapatnam News Desk

03 Mar 2026

The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) has commenced preparation of zone-wise development plans (ZDPs) following a recent administrative reorganisation that expanded its urban jurisdiction. Under the new approach, the city's territory has been divided into multiple zones, each with tailored planning strategies to address growth management, infrastructure provisioning and land-use priorities. GVMC officials said the exercise aims to rationalise development norms, improve civic service delivery and integrate peri-urban areas into a coordinated city planning framework. The planning process will involve extensive ground surveys, stakeholder consultations and data collection to inform draft ZDPs, which are expected to guide future development, zoning regulations, transportation networks and infrastructure investments. City planners noted that structured zone-wise planning aligned with the city's expanded geography will be critical to sustainable urban growth and improved quality of life in Visakhapatnam's evolving metropolitan region.Read more

02 Mar 2026

The Maharashtra government has approved a metro rail project connecting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai with Navi Mumbai International Airport. The 34.9 km corridor will have 20 stations, combining 14 elevated and six underground sections, and will operate under a public-private partnership with 40 per cent viability gap funding. The project involves significant private investment and is designed to reduce travel time and congestion between the two cities. Construction is set to start in June next year, with advanced planning for operations, depots, and rehabilitation of affected people.Read more

02 Mar 2026

India's central infrastructure projects valued at INR 150 crore and above have recorded a cumulative cost overrun of INR 5.52 lakh crore, according to the latest government monitoring data. The 1,702 projects tracked across 17 ministries now have a revised cost of INR 39.25 lakh crore, compared to the original INR 33.72 lakh crore. While expenditure has reached over INR 20 lakh crore and several projects are nearing completion, transport and energy continue to dominate the portfolio in terms of both number and value.Read more

02 Mar 2026

Uttar Pradesh has signed an MoU with German firm RAILONE GmbH for an INR 200 crore investment to upgrade rail infrastructure. Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya visited the company's manufacturing plant to inspect modern railway track technologies and concrete sleeper production systems. The discussions focused on global production processes, quality standards, and best practices. The government expects the collaboration to bring advanced technology, enhance connectivity, and boost industrial development. This move aligns with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's vision of modern infrastructure and international partnerships for the state.Read more

02 Mar 2026

MMRDA has intensified planning for station areas along the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor under Project-SMART. The corridor's four Maharashtra stations BKC, Thane, Virar, and Boisar are being developed with a focus on sustainable urban growth. Thane and Virar have been prioritized, with detailed development plans prepared in collaboration with JICA, adopting international best practices in Transit Oriented Development, land value capture, and multi-modal integration. MMRDA's leadership emphasizes replicating these frameworks at BKC and Boisar, aiming to transform these stations into strategic urban development hubs.Read more

02 Mar 2026

ArcelorMittal has launched a new Global Capability Centre (GCC) under the banner of ArcelorMittal Global Business & Technologies (AMGBT) in Hyderabad and Pune, strengthening India's role in the company's global technology and business services strategy. The centres are designed to support ArcelorMittal's international operations through integrated digital, technology and enterprise services. Functions housed at the GCCs include digital technology, IT infrastructure, data and analytics, cyber security, finance, procurement, human resources and project management. The company plans to hire around 2,000 professionals across both cities as part of a phased scale-up. With more than 1,100 employees already on board, AMGBT is positioned as a long-term operational hub, leveraging India's skilled talent base to drive standardisation, efficiency and technology-led transformation across ArcelorMittal's global businesses.Read more

02 Mar 2026

Infrastructure projects with an individual cost of INR 150 crore and above have collectively recorded a cost overrun of INR 5.52 lakh crore, according to the January 2026 edition of the central government's infrastructure monitoring report. Data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation shows that the revised cost of 1,702 ongoing projects has risen to INR 39.25 lakh crore, compared to their original estimated cost of INR 33.72 lakh crore. While the report does not specify how many projects are affected by overruns, it indicates that over half of the revised project cost has already been incurred. Transport and logistics projects dominate both project count and overall value, followed by energy and communication infrastructure, reflecting continued emphasis on connectivity and capacity expansion across sectors.Read more

02 Mar 2026

The Government of India has introduced National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) 2.0 with a target to mobilise INR 10 lakh crore over the next five years by monetising existing public infrastructure assets. The programme follows the first NMP, which achieved about 89% of its INR 6 lakh crore target. The new framework estimates a total monetisation potential of INR 16.72 lakh crore, including INR 5.8 lakh crore from private participation. Over 2,000 assets across key infrastructure sectors have been identified under the expanded plan.Read more

02 Mar 2026

Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh met Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi in the past week to review ongoing road projects and seek faster approvals for key proposals. The discussions focused on an elevated highway in Imphal and a large-scale plan to strengthen about 1,774 km of national highways in the state, estimated at around INR 12,000 crore. Gadkari assured support and said the ministry would examine the proposals positively, reinforcing the Centre's continued focus on improving connectivity in the Northeast.Read more

02 Mar 2026

Centum Electronics has secured a Phase-1 contract worth INR66 crore from Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) to design and develop an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar for the Utility Helicopter Maritime (UH-M) programme. The total contract value stands at INR78 crore, including taxes, and will be executed over the next two financial years. The radar is intended to strengthen maritime surveillance by enabling detection and tracking of multiple targets. A larger production phase, estimated at around INR500 crore over five years, may follow after successful development.Read more