Transport System

HCC, KRCL join hands to execute transport projects in India, overseas

Hindustan Construction Company Ltd (HCC) on Tuesday said it has signed an agreement with Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd (KRCL) to jointly execute large-scale railway and multi-modal transport infrastructure projects across India and international markets. The company in a statement said the MoU establishes a framework for long-term collaboration that brings together complementary strengths of both organisations. Together, the partners will deliver integrated, end-to-end solutions across the full spectrum of transport infrastructure, including civil works, track laying, signalling, electrification, MEP systems, operations and maintenance, and other critical components of modern transport networks, it added. According to the statement, the partnership will particularly focus on complex assignments such as underground and elevated metro systems, NATM tunnelling, railway bridges, and large-scale EPC contracts. Commenting on the development, Arjun Dhawan, Vice Chairman & Managing ...

India to surpass US in metro connectivity soon: Manohar Lal Khattar

Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday said India will soon overtake the United States to become the second-largest country in metro rail connectivity. He was speaking at the inaugural session of the two-day Urban Conclave organised by the Kerala Local Self-Government Department (LSGD) here as part of framing an urban policy for the state. Khattar said India currently ranks third after China and the US in metro rail network length. At present, metro services are operational in 24 cities covering 1,065 km. Soon, we will surpass the US, which has 1,400 km of metro network. Five more projects, adding 955 km, are in the pipeline, he said. The minister said India's urbanisation rate, 20 per cent in the 1960s, had risen to 30 per cent by 2027. By 2057, when India celebrates 100 years of Independence, urbanisation will reach 50 per cent, he said. Highlighting e-mobility as a key component of urban development, Khattar said 10,000 new buses have been ..

Goa halts new Rent-a-Cab licenses after rise in road accidents, congestion

The Goa government has temporarily suspended the issuance of new Rent-a-Cab licenses in light of the growing safety and traffic concerns arising from the unchecked proliferation of self-driven rental vehicles, a minister has said. The decision was taken following a communication from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) highlighting a series of serious road accidents involving the Rent-a-Car and Rent-a-Bike vehicles, Goa Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho informed the state assembly in a written reply on Wednesday. He was responding to a question raised in the House by Independent MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco. Godinho said many of these incidents were attributed to rash and negligent driving by tourists, including cases of driving under the influence of alcohol. "The matter was deliberated upon in detail during the State Transport Authority's (STA) meeting held on February 24, 2025, where it was unanimously resolved to keep the issuance of new Rent-a-Cab licenses in abeyance in the ..

Truckers go on indefinite strike against e-challans in Maharashtra

Truckers in Maharashtra went on an indefinite strike on Wednesday to protest against the e-challan system and press for other long-pending demands, disrupting goods transport services across the state, transporters' representative said. The transporters have complained the recovery process by authorities has become aggressive and is disrupting business operations, besides mounting fines of e-challans. The Vahatukdar Bachao Kruti Sanghatana, an action committee of transporters' associations, gave the strike call. While the truckers began the strike from midnight, bus operators have deferred their participation for the next few days. "The strike has received a mixed response as it is the first day, but the situation will be different post-afternoon," claimed Uday Barge, convener of the action committee. He said 1.5 lakh and 2 lakh trucks and other goods-carrying vehicles in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra would go off roads due to the strike. Barge claimed all trucks were off

Govt approves ₹3,626 crore for Pune Metro Phase-2 to connect key IT hubs

These two elevated corridors will span 12.75 km and include 13 stations, connecting suburbs such as Chandani Chowk, Bavdhan, Kothrud, Kharadi, and Wagholi

MSRTC to reintroduce 3x2 bus seating to boost revenue, passenger capacity

In a bid to increase its revenue and passenger capacity on its buses, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) will bring back the 3x2 seating arrangement after more than 15 years, officials said on Sunday. Earlier this week, the transport body's board approved the purchase of 3,000 new buses with conventional 3x2 seating instead of the existing 2x2 arrangement in ordinary buses, they said. Talking to PTI, state Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik said the 3x2 seating will bring more revenue to the corporation and give the passengers a comfortable ride, especially in rural areas. "Earlier, there were 52-55 seats in a bus, but now that number has come down to 40. So automatically, the requirement for buses went up, but the income per trip dropped. Hence, we decided to reintroduce 3x2 buses in the fleet." According to officials, this as a significant development, as it will help the loss-making corporation generate more revenue and enable it to carry more passengers per

Rapido plans 500-city expansion, sees strong mobility growth: Co-founder

Ride-hailing app Rapido is in the midst of a 500-city expansion this year in India, a market where "vastness and depth" of mobility opportunity offers a high-growth upside, according to co-founder Pavan Guntupalli. On whether the company is eyeing an IPO in the near term, Guntupalli told PTI that Rapido is clocking healthy growth, is well capitalised and "will take a call depending on situation". The focus, for now, is on growth, he asserts. The commute app, which offers about 33 lakh rides every single day on its auto, bike taxi, and cab services expects to grow "sustainably". "We are seeing strong growth, we have already turned market leaders in the two-wheeler industry, and the three-wheeler industry. And we are also glad that in a couple of cities we operate in, we are also market leaders in the four wheeler-industry. We are currently doing the five lakh rides in cabs and expect strong growth, and this is on the back of our SaaS (software as a service) innovation," he said ...

DMRC, NCRTC get record ridership, give driving training to women in 2024

The year 2024 saw both the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and the National Capital Region Transport Corporation make remarkable strides in advancing urban transportation infrastructure. While the DMRC achieved key breakthroughs, including the first twin tunnels under Phase-IV construction and the completion of an 865-metre underground tunnel between Chhatarpur and Chhatarpur Mandir Station, the NCRTC opened two major sections, signed crucial agreements, and was lauded by the German Ambassador who took a ride on its Namo Bharat train. Despite these advancements, the year was also marked by a tragic incident for the DMRC. On February 8, a portion of the Gokulpuri Metro Station on the Pink Line, located in northeast Delhi, collapsed, resulting in the death of a 53-year-old man and injuries to four others. In response, the DMRC carried out a thorough inspection and took corrective measures that included the removal of concrete structures and installation of stainless-steel railings at fi

Maharashtra sets March 31 deadline to fix high security number plates

More than two crore vehicles registered in Maharashtra before April 2019 will have to be fitted with High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) in the next four months to avoid imposition of penalty on their owners. The Maharashtra Transport Commissioner's Office has set March 31, 2025 deadline for installation of the HSRPs to the vehicles and appointed three agencies, after a long-drawn-out tendering process, to carry out the task. The authorities issued the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the new registration plates on Wednesday, a day before the new Maharashtra government led by Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in. To curb vehicle thefts and bring uniformity in vehicle's identity marks, the fitment of these number plates was made mandatory for the vehicles registered in Maharashtra before April 2019, and the onus of installing those was on the manufacturers. Made of a rare aluminum alloy, HSRP contains a retro-reflective film with a verification inscription 'India', a ...

India to see one of the largest infra programmes of 21st century: KPMG

India is likely to see the implementation of one of the largest infrastructure programmes in the 21st century amongst large economies and creating fiscal sources of capital would be key to this initiative, according to a KPMG report. The report titled 'KPMG 2024 Infrastructure and Transport CEO Outlook' further said a survey of 120 sector leaders from across the world found that CEOs in the infrastructure and transportation sector anticipate business growth over the next three years, in terms of earnings and headcount. It revealed that globally 57 per cent of sector CEOs say stakeholder expectations pertaining to ESG are changing faster than they can adapt their strategy. More than half of CEOs believe that a global failure on climate-change adaptation will have a real short-to-medium term impact on their growth, it added. With confidence and trust in governments declining around the world, the report said 62 per cent of respondents believe the public is looking to businesses to fi

Ola Electric plans 10,000 outlets by 2025, targeting smaller cities

Ola Electric plans to open 10,000 sales and service outlets by 2025 - a move aimed at boosting its presence in smaller cities across India

Delhi govt to soon notify new rates, norms for buses at ISBTs: Raj Niwas

The Delhi government will soon notify new rates and norms for buses at interstate terminals, Raj Niwas officials said on Sunday. Lt Governor VK Saxena inspected the Maharana Pratap ISBT at Kashmere Gate on August 31 and subsequently held a high-level meeting that was attended by Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot. The transport department is set to notify the new rates and norms for to-and-fro interstate buses utilising the iconic terminals. Delhi has three operational interstate bus terminals (ISBTs) at Kashmere Gate, Anand Vihar and Sarai Kale Khan. "Emphasising that efficiency and equality are two most important factors to achieve optimum utilisation of facilities, the lieutenant governor suggested equal parking rates for government and private buses and also reducing parking time equally to achieve a higher turnaround," a Raj Niwas official said. Saxena also directed that only buses with Fastag be allowed to enter the terminals to ensure tracking. Once notified, the new

Concor to resume coastal cargo transport, enhance last-mile connectivity

Concor had initially launched coastal shipping services in January 2019 but the services were halted in 2020 due to the Covid-19 outbreak

Pvt operators seek Bengal govt nod to run state-owned buses via PPP model

A body of private bus operators in West Bengal has urged the state transport department to allow its members whose 15-year-old vehicles need to be scrapped by August to opt for a public-private-partnership model in which they can run state-owned buses against a monthly payment. The association sent a letter to Transport Minister Snehasis Chakraborty on Tuesday to allow such operators to opt for the PPP model, known as Bus Franchise Operators (BFOs), on a bigger scale and save them from financial losses, Joint Council of Bus Syndicate General Secretary Tapan Banerjee told PTI. In compliance with a Calcutta High Court order, 15-year-old buses and other commercial vehicles are required to be phased out from city roads. The buses, which hit roads in 2009 or 2010 will stop running in 2024 or 2025. Banerjee said that as part of the PPP model, private operators can run non-operating state-owned buses and pay Rs 14,000 a month to the transport corporation concerned. Already private operat

Indian cities cry out for UMTA

A unified metropolitan transport authority should be a game-changer for urban mass transport

Hyperloop can soon become a reality in India: Swisspod CEO Denis Tudor

Moonshot tech, once built at scale, may be used in freight first, says Swiss hyperloop innovator

Quite a hell of a ride

Ensuring road safety on India's highways needs a mission mode approach, if the country is to rid itself of the ignominious tag of being the most dangerous place in the world

About 80% of buses operational during Tamil Nadu transport unions strike

About 80 percent of buses in Tamil Nadu were being operated on Tuesday amid the strike call given by various transport unions, including those affiliated to the CPI(M) and AIADMK, officials said. The state government buses were operated in several parts including Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore and Kanyakumari districts, benefiting the commuters, they said. In Chennai, the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) authorities ensured the buses were operated as usual and that the strike did not impact the public much, a senior official said. "The MTC buses were being operated as scheduled from 6 am and the public are requested not to panic," a senior transport official said. "About 80 percent" of the buses were being run in the state, he said without divulging further details. The trade unions had announced the strike demanding implementation of "6 point charter of demands." It includes initiation of talks for enhanced wages (15th wage revision pact), filling vacant posts, and release o

Delhi airport to have multi-modal transport hub near Aerocity: Operator

The new facility will help passengers from adjoining interstate cities to catch international flights

India's logistics cost 7.8-8.9% of GDP in FY22, shows govt survey

The World Bank has also reviewed the methodology and has acknowledged it has an appropriate baseline and framework to fine-tune it in the future, government officials said on Thursday