Roads and money
The substantial underutilisation of funds released by the Union government for highway upgradation and maintenance by almost all states in the first quarter of this fiscal is, prima facie, rather a puzzle. Given the abysmal state of our highways and the significant spinoffs from better connectivity, state governments ought to …
$10bn tunnel plan a bad idea, says its creator
Melbourne City Council's "Big Idea" for a $10 billion freeway and rail tunnels under north and west Melbourne is a bad idea, according its creator. Transport consultant William McDougall told The Age that building tunnels was the lowest of the city's transport priorities. He said his report to the council …
SAARC tourism ministers sign joint declaration to promote tourism
India's Minister of State for Tourism Renuka Chowdry and other heads of delegation from SAARC countries attended a meeting of SAARC Tourism Ministers in Colombo today and signed a declaration on joint efforts to promote tourism in the region. Speaking at the meeting, Ms. Chowdry commended the resilience of the …
`Golden Quadrilateral project by December 2005`
The Rs 34,300 crore golden quadrilateral project, initiated by the previous BJP-led NDA government headed by A B Vajpayee, linking the four metros of the country, will be completed by December 2005. Union Minister of State for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways K H Muniyappa sai. Addressing a press conference …
NCR Planning Board drafts an easy rider
The National Capital Region Planning Board is planning to take highway travelling to the next level. In its draft National Capital Regional Plan 2021 (the NCR's masterplan), the board has proposed that a Highway Corridor Zone be developed along the National Highways. The corridor, with a proposed width of 500 …
Sethusamudran project: Eco-groups express concern
A project to scoop out the seabed between Tamil Nadu coast and Sri Lanka to create a channel for ship navigation is worring environmentalists and a section of the scientific community. "The safety and stability of the canal project is a matter of concern," warns a 71-page report by 'Doctors …
Master plan draft ready for presentation
Now that the Master Plan of Delhi (MPD) 2021 draft is finally ready, the DDA will present it to the DDA Authority and the advisory council in December for their approval. DDA vice-chairman Madhukar Gupta said
India sets infrastructure target
India's government plans to spend at least $17 billion to upgrade roads, airports and ports by 2010, in an effort to make it easier for Ford motor and other exporters to do business in Asia's fourth-biggest economy. About a quarter of the money will be spent on building and modernizing …
Wastewater recycling in Loyola College
Loyola College is installing a wastewater recycling plant based on U.S. technology in Chennai which will halve the college's water bills. The recycled water will be used for sanitary and gardening purposes.The low-cost, eco-friendly plant will treat around 50,000 litres generated every day from the college hostels, canteen, mess and …
World Bank to give Rs 550 cr for HP roads, says CM
The Himachal Government will shortly get Rs 550 crore from World Bank for the development of roads in the state. This was announced by Mr Virbhadra Singh, Chief Minister, last night while addressing a gathering on the occasion of the inaugural ceremony of the week-long Renuka fair.He said the government …
DTC to revamp old buses
Faced with a financial crunch, the Delhi Transport Corporation is now forced to recycle "buses' which are lying as scrap in bus depots. Before the Supreme Court made it mandatory that buses and auto-rickshaws in the Capital need to run on CNG , DTC's fuel guzzling buses happily polluted the …
Delhi to be included in mega cities aid scheme
Delhi will soon be brought under the Central Assistance Mega cities scheme for infrastrucutre development, according to the Union Urban Development Minister, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad. "So far only Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Chennai and Bangalore get the Central assistance under the scheme. Soon Delhi will be included in it," said …
Centre for pvt sector role in water mgmt
Setting up of a special cell for speedy clearance of water projects, making rainwater harvesting mandatory prior to environmental clearance, persuading states to contribute their share and central water management schemes are the main planks of the Union water resources ministry's priority in the next financial year. Inaugurating the Water …
Experts for changes in building bylaws to save city heritage
As you walk past the old walled city of Amritsar, a crumbling heritage stares you in the face. The meandering streets that once housed traditional structures built on intimate scales are now homes to all forms of encroachments leaving little or no space for pedestrians. The rhythmic arches on the …
Keep water dacoits at bay
It was a face off between a water conservationist and a cola giant at a seminar held to discuss the issue of water conservation, Megasaysay awardee Rajendra Simgh who has done pioneering work in rainwater harvesting and watershed development in Rajasthan just could n't think of sharing the same platform …
Re-tailor SIDO to fit market-oriented economy requirements
The Third All-India Census for Small-scale Industries, released a couple of months before by the five decade-old DCSSI, only reinforces the importance of this sector. The sector has 10.52 million industrial units with investments ranging from Rs 0.1 million to more than Rs 10 million in the redefined categories in …
Bengal plans to amend building rules
The West Bengal Government is planning to amend building rules to pave the way for environment-friendly and energy-efficient constructions. The Calcutta Municipal Corporation is already working on a similar proposal to pave the way for water harvesting and use of alternative energy. Addressing a seminar on "Global trends in building …
