CM Announces Rs. 850-Cr Special Package for Bellary.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday announced a Rs. 850-crore special package for Bellary to take up various development works. He told reporters here that Rs. 110 crore has been set aside for the construction of houses for the poor. Around 5,500 houses will be constructed in three years, he added. On construction of the new airport in Bellary, he said the land cannot be returned to the farmers as it was acquired by the government. He said he was unaware of the district administration's proposal to construct a jail on the land instead of the airport. A decision will be taken after the completion of the land survey, he added. Donor Locks School Gani Saheb, who donated six acres for the construction of Morarji Desai school, locked up the school recently opposing the decision of the officials to invite Siddaramaiah for the inauguration. Saheb donated the land in Kudligi taluk to build the school on the request of MLA Nagendra. He said he made the donation because of his respect for the MLA and he wants Nagendra to inaugurate the school. "The officials want Siddaramaiah to inaugurate it although they made an initial promise that Nagendra would do so," he added. Though the building was completed a year ago and classes had started, an official inauguration never took place as Nagendra landed up behind bars.

KCR's Grand New Dream: 1,26,036 km Water Pipeline.

In its pursuit to provide potable water to all households in the State, the Telangana government would lay a total of 1,26,036 km water pipeline that includes main trunk line, secondary lines and distribution networks. Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao claimed that the length of water line would set a world record, becoming the longest water pipeline built anywhere in the world. After reviewing the maps, contours designed by the officials using Google Earth pertaining to the availability of water bodies and geographical conditions recently, the Chief Minister said the government was attaching great importance to meet the drinking needs of the people. Explaining the magnitude of the project, he said, "The length of water pipeline proposed by the government is four times that of Earth�s circumference, which is 33,000 km". The proposed water pipeline will include 5,227 km of main trunk line, 45,089 km of secondary network and 75,000 km distribution channels.

Oceanarium to be assessed for CRZ clearance soon.

The Rs. 450-crore Oceanarium project proposed at Kochi will face its first major test soon when it will be scrutinised for Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance. B. Madhusoodana Kurup, the Vice Chancellor of the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, will make a presentation before the Kerala Coastal Zone Management Authority seeking clearance. The project, which was proposed during the previous LDF regime at Puthu Vypeen, had been delayed by a couple of years. Recently, the State Fisheries resource Management Society, which is taking the lead in implementing the project, had obtained an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report prepared by an Hyderabad-based agency. One of the major concerns that were raised during the inception of the project was its impact on the mangrove vegetation in the region. The proponents had suggested to carry out compensatory planting of mangroves in the Vembanad wetland system. It is up to the authority to decide on the extent of mangrove that has to be replanted. Around 25 per cent of the mangrove vegetation that could be affected by the implementation of the project would be restored in the project site itself as part of the oceanarium, he said. It is estimated that mangrove vegetation spread over 25.16 acre would be destroyed during the execution of the project. "Mangrove afforestation has been proposed in 40 acre at appropriate locations within the Vembanad-Kole wetland system as a compensatory measure. The Valanthakkadu area in Maradu village, identified for the compensatory planting, is suitable for mangrove afforestation/population enhancement," according to the EIA report. The proposal for setting up a dolphinarium along with the oceanarium was dropped. However, there would be a polar pavilion where exotic marine animals like walrus, otter and sea lion will be present. There will also a stadium facility to host seal shows, according to the EIA report. There would be shark tanks, a marine heritage pavilion, traditions and cultural traits of fishermen community and underwater archaeological artefacts. A restaurant with underwater vision, sheltered walk-way, an aquarium alley with more than 80 aquariums, an aqua terrarium which exhibits the underwater habitations and an estuary tank and lagoon exhibits with the marine species and coral reefs of Lakshadweep Sea are also part of the project.

Man Industries wins Rs. 550-crore pipe supply contracts to oil, gas projects.

Large diameter pipe maker Man Industries recently said it has won Rs. 550 crore new orders from domestic and international customers for supply of pipes for Oil and Gas sector projects. "With these new orders the outstanding order book as on date stands at approx Rs. 1600 crores. This will result in significant improvement in performance in the second half of the current financial year," the company said in a statement. It said it has also received vendor approval from several new customers in oil and gas sector globally and participated in various bids. The company therefore expects good order inflow in near future from the outstanding bids which are at various levels of evaluation by the clients, it added. The company has also initiated the process for upgradation of its Pithampur plant to produce very large diameter pipes (upto 130") to cater to the upcoming mega drinking water supply, river linking and irrigation projects in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

HMSI to invest Rs. 1100 crore for new plant in Gujarat.

After Tata Motors, Ford and Maruti Suzuki, Gujarat government has now signed a state support agreement (SSA) with Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. (HMSI) for the latter's Rs. 1100 crore two wheeler plant. To be commissioned by December 2015, the said plant will see a two-wheeler manufacturing capacity of 1.2 million per annum, taking HMSI's total capacity to close to six million per annum. The company has three other plants, one each in Haryana, Rajasthan and Karnataka. Signing the SSA agreement, Keita Muramatsu, President & CEO, HMSI stated the plant will see a total investment of Rs. 1100 and will generate direct and indirect employment for 3000. "This is HMSI's fourth plant in the country and will generate direct and indirect employment for 3000. Around 22 of our suppliers will also set up their plants which will increase investment and employment in Gujarat further. We will also initiate CSR activities, especially around skill development," Muramatsu said. According to Muramatsu, HMSI will focus on manufacturing scooters, especially the company's one of the most successful models 'Activa' from the Gujarat plant.

ABB India working on remote monitoring of solar power plants.

Upbeat about the future prospects of the solar power sector, power and automation technologies maker ABB India Ltd. is working on technology for remote monitoring of solar power plants in order to optimize output of electricity. The company is in talks with various players in the solar power sector and trying to understand their requirements. The company's solar division that makes inverters, switch gears and provides operation and maintenance solutions for solar power units plans to focus on emerging roof-top solar power generation market as it sees big potential in it in the coming years. The engineering major also wants to cash in on its recently launched solar pump drives which have been re-engineered for India to meet requirements of uninterrupted and reliable power supply for the rural market and agricultural sector. With the union government allocating Rs. 400 crore for such solar pumps in the budget, the company sees a scope of 25 per cent rise in sales in 2014-15. With over 300 sunny days a year, the solar pump drives could help farmers maximise the benefits of solar power, while reducing dependency on the conventional grid power. "We are a company with a long term perspective in renewable energy sector especially solar and wind power. We want to grow in this sector by building on our key competencies power and automation technologies,"said A H Kawdikar, vice president, country head (solar).

Oil India investing Rs. 1,200 crore to revamp pump stations in Assam.

Energy major Oil India recently said it is investing Rs. 1,200 crore to revamp the pump stations of pipelines for carrying crude to refineries in Assam. Addressing the shareholders during the 55th Annual General Body Meeting at the company's Fields' headquarters in Duliajan, OIL chairman and managing director S K Srivastava said: "The pumping stations of the trunk pipeline have been operating for over five decades and a revamping of these pump stations is being undertaken at a cost of Rs. 1,200 crore." OIL operates a 1,157 km long crude oil trunk pipeline of 5.5 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) capacity for transporting crude oil produced at oilfields in Upper Assam to the public sector refineries at Numaligarh, Guwahati and Bongaigaon, the company said in a statement.

Construction of Lucknow Metro starts, 'to run before 2017 polls'.

The construction of the much-awaited Lucknow Metro commenced Saturday with a bhoomi pujan in the presence of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and senior ministers of the state government. The first phase of construction, for which work began recently, will cover about 8 km between the "priority section" of Transport Nagar and Charbagh, and is expected to cost about Rs. 2,000 crore. While Larsen and Toubro has been selected for civil works, Systra, a French company, has been selected for designing metro stations and via-ducts. This priority line will have eight stations. The priority section is a part of the 22.87-km North-South Corridor between Amausi Airport and Munshipulia, which is expected to cost Rs. 6,880 crore. "I have full confidence in Metroman E Sreedharan (principal advisor for Lucknow Metro) and all the related departments that the metro will start running before the next Assembly elections," the CM said after the bhoomi pujan.

Economic corridor holds bright future for A.P.

The prospect of industrial development in Andhra Pradesh appears to be bright owing to its location in the East Coast Economic Corridor (ECEC) for which Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) have committed major investments. The ECEC links Kolkata with Chennai and Tuticorin encompassing the Visakhapatnam-Chennai corridor which is on top of the agenda of both the Central and State governments. The ADB and JICA have evinced interest in infrastructure projects in AP, mainly on the string of seaports that dot the nearly 1,000 km-long coastline. What is going to make things easier is the establishment of a Maritime Board, the modalities of which are being worked out by the State government. Industries Department Principal Secretary J.S.V. Prasad has stated in his address at a recent CII event that the government was keen on setting up a Maritime Board to facilitate development of ports and taking other industry-friendly measures like making the procedures for obtaining clearances simpler and giving incentives. According to sources, the ADB has already given its 'inception report' on the ECEC to the Centre and the 'conceptual development plan' of Visakhapatnam-Chennai corridor is ready for submission early next month. Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), AP, Chairman Suresh Chitturi told The Hindu that the government was keen on stimulating industrial development across the coast and asserted that Krishna-Godavari-Prakasam-Guntur (KGPG) area the potential of which was studied by the CII well before the process of bifurcation began was poised for rapid growth. On its part, the CII was trying to garner investments into the State . Most of them were waiting for the new industrial policy to be announced with due focus on making the single window scheme an effective instrument in the larger framework.

Nalco to invest Rs. 660 cr on 100 MW wind power plant.

National Aluminium Company (Nalco), the navratna public sector undertaking under ministry of mines, plans to set up a 100 MW wind power project with an investment of Rs. 660 crore. "The project will be set up shortly at a suitable location in India�, Ansuman Das, chairman cum managing director (CMD) of Nalco said at the company's 33rd annual general meeting (AGM) . Selection of wind power developer is underway, he added.Nalco has already commissioned two wind power plants in Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan. The 50.4 MW plant in Andhra Pradesh was commissioned in 2012-13 while the Rajasthan unit of 47.6 MW, built at an investment of Rs. 283 crore, was put to operation in January 2014. About 150 million units of electricity were generated from these two plants in 2013-14. In Odisha, the aluminium major also plans to put up a 14 MW wind power project in mined out area of its bauxite mines at Damanjodi. The central PSU is also planning to set up a solar power plant at a suitable location in the country to meet its solar purchase obligation. To ensure viability of its second smelter and power complex proposed in Sundargarh district, Nalco is trying to secure a coal block.

Coal ministry may cancel one coal block allocation to Reliance Power's Sasan project.

The coal ministry plans to cancel the allocation of one coal block to Anil Ambani-led Reliance Power Ltd. and ensure that surplus production from two other blocks attached to the 4,000 MW Sasan ultra mega power project is not used for another project, government sources said. The ministry's plan follows the August 25 judgment of the Supreme Court (SC), which barred diversion of coal from blocks attached to any ultra mega power project. "Based on the directions from the Supreme Court, we plan to cancel the surplus coal diversion - four million tonnes per annum from Moher and Moher Amlohri and the entire Chhatrasal mine that is surplus for the Sasan plant," a government official said. Reliance Power did not offer immediate comment. An official said the ministry has not consulted the power ministry that administers the Sasan plant about the planned de-allocation of the Chhatrasal coal block, but might do so, if needed. The decision will affect Reliance Power's Rs 21,000-crore Chitrangi project in Madhya Pradesh, which was planned to be partly fired on nine million tonnes of coal from three Sasan blocks -Chhatrasal, Moher and Moher Amlohri Extension.

ONGC Videsh signs agreement with Petroleos Mexicanos.

Keen to expand into Mexico, ONGC Videsh Ltd., the overseas arm of state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), has signed an agreement with Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) for cooperation in the Latin American nation. The MoU was signed by Anil Bhandari, Director (Exploration), OVL and Gustavo Hernandez Garcia, Director General, Pemex Exploracion Y Produccion at Cancun, Mexico on the sidelines of World National Oil Companies Congress- Americas. "Under the MOU, the two companies plan to discuss future cooperation and collaboration in the upstream sector in Mexico. The MOU also envisages cooperation in the fields of technology, human resources, research and development," OVL said in a statement. Mexico is the largest crude oil producing country in Latin America. It has excellent potential for both conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon. As a result of recent energy reforms in the country, the oil and gas sector is being opened for participation by foreign firms. Besides OVL, Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL), too, is looking to invest in Mexico as North America�s third-biggest producer courts foreign companies after a 76-year hiatus. Mexico in December permitted private investment in the oil industry to help reverse a decade-long slump in output. Pemex plans to establish 10 joint ventures in mature, onshore and offshore areas by December 2015. It has fields holding an estimated 20.6 billion barrels. OVL has participation in 35 projects in 16 countries, including Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Libya, Mozambique, Myanmar, Russia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Vietnam. It currently produces about 160,000 barrels of oil and oil equivalent gas per day and has total oil and gas reserves of 637 million tonnes of oil equivalent.

AP expects Rs. 42,000 cr investments in IT, electronics sectors.

The Andhra Pradesh government is expecting investments worth Rs. 42,000 crore in Information Technology and electronics industries over the next 5 years, state IT minister Palle Raghunatha Reddy said recently. The government has prepared a policy to create AP an IT and electronics industry hub in the country, Reddy told reporters here. The state government expects Rs. 12,000 crore investments in IT and Rs. 30,000 crore in electronics industry, he said. During the next five years, the expected employment generation from these two sectors would be about nine lakhs, he said. Already, Wipro, Tech Mahindra and some other IT industries have agreed to establish their units in the state, the minister said. Cities like Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Tirupati and Anantapur in the state will be favourable places for both the sectors, he said, adding that the government has initiated steps to provide clearances for IT and electronic industries under a single-window system.

Oil and Gas Exploration and Production company Recruitment

How to apply and send CV?? Visit >> http://www.jobinoilandgas.com/?p=583
Available Positions:
•Engineer - Qatar National only 
•Offshore Operator 

•Corrosion and Intergrity Engineering Advisor
•Operations IT Analyst
•Field HSE Advisor
•Accountant
•Cost Engineer - Phase 6
•Lead Electrical Engineer
•Lead Pipe Engineer
•Planner / Scheduler - FTA
•Petroleum Engineer
•Accounts Associate
•Intern HR&A
•Intern - Finance
•Intern - IT

प्रभात ठाकुर

पसंद

Scotland's Wave and Tidal Energy Worth £217 Million and Growing

Scotland’s flourishing wave and tidal energy sector has invested more than £217m in the country to date, with £31.8m spent in the last 12 months alone, a new Scottish Renewables report shows.

Crucially, the study revealed almost two-thirds (62%) of the growing industry’s supply chain is Scottish. Marine energy – in which Scotland is recognised as the world leader – has been forecast to be worth £50 billion by 2050.

Lindsay Leask, Senior Policy Manager for offshore renewables at Scottish Renewables, said: "Wave and tidal energy is still very much the renewables new kid on the block, but the opportunities it presents are enormous, particularly for Scotland.

"These investment figures, revealed for the first time by our Marine Milestones report, show the significant economic benefits this young sector is bringing. Crucially, those benefits are staying local, benefitting communities and families who are looking to renewables for a sustainable future, both economically and environmentally.

"Scotland already leads the world in the development of these audacious, innovative machines, and maintaining that position at the front of the global pack is something we believe is worthy of continued government support."

Scottish Renewables’ Marine Milestones report, which details the level of investment by the sector, is launched today (Tuesday, September 23) at the organisation’s Marine Conference in Inverness.

Seventeen organisations working in marine energy were surveyed for the Marine Milestones report. While providing updates on the progress of cutting-edge machines and projects, the firms were asked to provide investment statistics for compilation.

Key updates in the Marine Milestones report include:

- Aquamarine Power’s Oyster 800 device has now clocked up three full winters at sea, braving waves of more than 60ft: a world first.

- Pelamis’ two P2 machines have cumulatively delivered wave power to the grid for 10,000 hours – that’s 416 days, or 59 full weeks.

- The MeyGen project – the world’s first commercial scale tidal array – became the first large-scale tidal project of its type in the world to successfully reach a funding agreement, and achieved onshore and offshore planning consent in 2014.

Case study

Roving Eye is an Orkney-based operator of ROVs (remotely-operated underwater vehicles) and survey boats. The husband and wife business employs four, and has received around 65% of its 2014 revenue from work in the wave and tidal sectors.

Owner Keith Bichan said: "Marine energy is a thrilling sector. We’re always doing something new, and something probably no-one has ever had to do before, thinking outside the box and working on complex solutions with some of the most innovative engineers in Europe.

"We are involved throughout the life-cycle of wave and tidal energy devices, from surveying the seabed as part of the consenting process to monitoring the deployment of devices and maintenance and, finally, surveying cables annually for the full life of the projects.

"Wave and tidal have changed the vibe in Orkney – they have made people believe we can make a future for the islands as oil and gas reserves deplete, and the thought that the eyes of the world are on what we are doing makes it all the more exciting."

For more information, please visit: http://www.scottishrenewables.com

Saint-Gobain wins $268.7mn Qatar contract.

French building materials company Saint Gobain PAM has announced that it has won a pair of supply deals worth �200mn ($268.7mn) from Qatari contractor Al Jabar Engineering to supply large diameter pipes, fittings and valves. The products, which will be made by Saint Gobain in France and shipped to Qatar, will be used on Qatar's plan to build five "Security Mega-Reservoirs" across the country to ensure it has an emergency supply of drinking water capably of lasting at least seven days. The project was initiated by Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa), with Hyder providing design and site supervision assistance. Tenders to build five out of nine proposed reservoirs at Umm Birka, Umm Slal, Al Thumama, Rawdhat Rashid and Abu Nakhla, were floated in April. The works packages also include materials supply, construction, testing and commissioning of the reservoirs, pipework, mechanical, electrical, ICA (instrumentation, control and automation), civil, structural and architectural works. Pumping stations are also being built from the Ras Abu Fontas and Facility D desalination plants to the south of Doha to the Ras Laffan desalination plants in the north of Qatar. The reservoirs are being linked by a 200km-long network of large diameter ring mains. A fast-track design, procurement and construction sequence has been initiated with a view to the project being completed in 2017.

UAE set to award Dh96bn infrastructure contracts

Infrastructure project awards across the GCC are forecast to exceed $86 billion (Dh315.62 billion) in 2014, an increase of 77.8 per cent over 2013. New figures released by construction intelligence firm Ventures Onsite show a dramatic increase in contract awards across the region, in every country except Saudi Arabia. Qatar will award projects worth $26.2 billion compared with just $9.4 billion last year while Kuwait is expected to award $3.45 billion, almost 10 times the previous year. In the UAE, $15.18 billion (Dh96.154 billion) will be awarded, almost five times the 2013 contracts, while in Oman infrastructure awards are expected to reach $7.4 billion (Dh27.158 billion) - up $5.5 billion (Dh20.185 billion) on 2013. Meanwhile Bahrain, which awarded $382 million (Dh1.4 billion) last year, is expected to award $3.4 billion (Dh12.478 billion). Saudi Arabia�s forecast award of $29.34 billion - the highest in the region - represents a decrease year on year, however last year�s total awards of $33.6 billion included the $22.5 billion Riyadh Metro project. Infrastructure projects make up 16 per cent of the total construction value of GCC projects, and rail projects like the Riyadh Metro are the main beneficiary. According to Ventures, it is estimated the rail sector is worth $200 billion as the six countries aim for an integrated GCC-wide network by 2018. Infrastructure is a key focus for seminar sessions at this year�s Middle East Concrete and PMV Live exhibitions. During the first day there will be a panel session entitled �Market update and future forecast of the Middle East�s infrastructure sector� which will look at the key issues the region has to overcome. Panellist Paul Groves, Head of Tunnelling & Ground Engineering with Atkins, will also present a case study on a metro project. Atkins is among the leading rail sector consultancies in the Middle East, has recently set up a centre of rail excellence and is involved in major rail and metro projects in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Atkins first developed its team to provide multidisciplinary design and management of the civil works on Dubai Metro seven years ago. �Existing roads are already over capacity, to the point where congestion is having an impact on the local economy and quality of life for residents,� said Dr. Ghassan Ziadat, director of planning and infrastructure for Atkins. But, it is not simply about cutting congestion and improving freight transport links. The railway network will create new jobs and bring environmental benefits to the region according to Feras Shadid, a rail assurance and asset management consultant who will also be a panellist at the infrastructure seminar on the first day of the exhibitions. �Rail networks create a more sustainable society that is not dependent on one mode of transport for passengers and goods. Also the environmental advantages of using railways have been documented extensively, and the rail projects will create a range of employment opportunities including high-tech engineering positions,� Shadid said. PMV Live and Middle East Concrete will take place at the Dubai World Trade Centre running from 17 - 20 November. Source: http://www.emirates247.com/

PSUs to form 2 JVs for revival of Talcher fertiliser plant: Fertliser Minister Ananath Kumar.

State-owned companies like RCF and GAIL will form two joint ventures to revive the closed urea plant at Talcher in Odisha with an estimated investment of Rs. 9,000 crore, Fertliser Minister Ananath Kumar said recently. Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers, Coal India GAIL and Fertilizer Corporation of India will form the joint ventures. The first joint venture (JV) will be for setting up of an upstream coal gasification unit and the second JV is for an urea-cum-ammonia nitrate complex. Talcher will be the first plant in the country using coal gasification technology. "The plant will have a capacity of 1.3 million tonnes per annum of urea and 3.3 lakh litres of ammonia nitrate per annum and around Rs. 9,000 crore will be invested in this project with an aim of generating employment," Kumar told reporters. He added that signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between PSUs will be held before November.

Neyveli Lignite plans to acquire coal blocks in Mozambique, Indonesia and Australia.

Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) planning to acquire coal blocks in Mozambique, Indonesia and Australia. The company has said that it would require around 10 million tonnes of imported coal, besides the coal allocation in India. Speaking to Business Standard NLC's Chairman and Managing Director B Surender Mohan said that the company is looking at mines which got capacity of about 200-250 million tonnes per annum. "We are looking at mines which can supply coals for long time, say minimum of 20 years," said Mohan, adding that the company is open for other join venture and acquiring mines. The company will appoint one agency which would take care of these deposits. In the next six months will finalise and will acquire or form a JV, said Mohan. Addressing the shareholders earlier, he said that for the 1,000 MW thermal power plant of NTPL under implementation the company's proposed 4,000 MW Thermal Power Project at Sirkali, Tamil Nadu, the company would require two million tonnes of coal initially. He added, this could increase to 10 million tonnes at a later period of time. The company earlier issued a notification seeking Expression of Interest for acquiring coal blocks abroad.

AP approves projects worth Rs. 9,200 cr.

The Andhra Pradesh State Investment Promotion Board (SIPB) recently approved proposals worth Rs. 9,200 crore including three cement plants and concessions to Hero MotoCorp project. The Board met under the chairmanship of State Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu today approved two green field cement plants one in Dachepalli of Guntur District and another unit in Petnikota of Kurnool District by Ultratech cement of the Aditya Birla group and one more cement plant at Kolimigundla by the Ramco group. The total capacity of these 3 cement plants is likely to be about 12 m.t. per annum and expected to generate employment for nearly 4,000 people directly and a few thousands more indirectly. According to a statement, the SIPB also decided to provide railway siding facility between Sanjamala and Kolimigundla over a distance of 20 km. The SIPB agreed to provide dedicated water supply for these new water supply plants as well as additional water supply to the Tadipatri plant of Ultratech cements from the newly proposed water transmission corporation of Andhra Pradesh. The Board also cleared incentives for Kelloggs India Ltd., which is setting up its plant near Sri City.

Global solar capacity addition to touch 48,000 MW this year.

Global solar installations are projected to touch 48,000 MW in 2014, much higher than the generation capacity added last year amid policy adjustments in some countries, says a report. Mercom Capital Group, a global clean energy communications and consulting firm, recently said that the first half of 2014 was not spectacular in terms of solar energy capacity additions. "... but with recent policy adjustments being implemented, especially in China, another strong year is forecast with installations of approximately 48 GW (48,000 MW) in total," it said in a statement. For India, the projection is about 1,000 MW this year almost same as seen in 2013. "The Indian solar market has been stuck around the 1 GW mark for the last few years. With a new administration in power, policy makers have gone back to the drawing board and are in the process of implementing new programmes which will have much bigger installation targets. "All signs point to the Indian solar market taking off after 2015 and it could become one of the larger markets along with China, Japan, and the US," the statement said.

SAIL planning to double steelmaking capacity to 50 million tonne by 2025.

Steel Authority of India (SAIL) is finalizing a plan to nearly double steelmaking capacity to 50 million tonne (mt) by 2025 at an investment of Rs. 1,50,000 crore. In step with a planned hike in capacity, the company said it has secured a 30-year mining lease from union mines ministry for iron ore at Dhul khera village, in Rajasthan's Bhilwara district. "SAIL is finalizing its Vision 2025 document, which will steer the company to increase its production capacity of hot metal to 50 million tonne, along with related and enabling business activities. Implementing the Vision 2025 would entail an investment of about Rs. 1,50,000 crore in addition to the investment made in the current phase of expansion," the company's chairman C S Verma informed shareholders at its 42nd annual general meeting recently.

RCF plans to set up 1.27 MT urea plant in Iran.

Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilisers Ltd. (RCF), a Government of India undertaking that produces fertilisers and basic chemicals for agriculture, is said to be scouting for opportunities abroad, including a joint venture to set up fertiliser plant in Iran. "We are looking for an Iranian partner to build a $ 800-million urea plant in Iran, which has the second largest reserves of gas in the world. The plant will have 1.27 MT of urea production capacity. The Iranian partner will be selected by SBI Capital Markets (SBICAPS)," RCF Chairman and Managing Director R G Rajan told reporters. With this project, RCF and Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilisers & Chemicals Ltd (GNFC) seek to tap cheaper gas offered by Iran to produce the farm nutrient and ship it to India. The project is expected to materialise after sanctions against Iran are lifted. RCF is also exploring possibilities of entering into long-term offtake agreements for potash with suppliers in Canada.

HCC wins orders worth Rs. 208 cr.

Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) has secured contracts worth Rs. 208 crore. This includes a contract from the Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation for laying a 1.765 km pipeline and another from a leading petrochemical company for the construction of off-gas cracker and process units. HCC said it is in L1 position (lowest bidder) in nine tenders aggregating Rs. 3,092 crore, in which its share is Rs. 2,964 crore. These include three tenders in hydropower and six in the road segment.

Mars Orbiter Mission Photograph

SC cancels 214 of 218 coal block allocations.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday cancelled all coal block allocations except for government-run blocks that operate on a non-JV basis. The criteria fits just four of the 218 blocks that were deemed illegal by the court in its August order. Media reports said exempted coal blocks included allocations to NTPC, SAIL and Sasan UMPP. The apex court in its order said that there was no reason to save the other blocks as the allocations were arbitary. The order will be operational after six months, the apex court said, adding the government could hold auctions for these blocks post 31 March, 2015. A penalty of Rs 295/tonne will also be imposed on all cancelled block holders. On August 25, a Supreme Court Bench headed by Chief Justice R M Lodha had said that entire allocation of coal blocks from 1993 till 2010 was illegal, arbitrary, non-transparent and without application of mind and guidelines. The screening committee which had sat 36 times to take decisions did not make any objective evaluation while distributing national wealth, the judgment delivered by a bench headed by Chief Justice R M Lodha said. The allocations both under the screening committee route and the government dispensation route, were arbitrary and illegal, according to the three-judge bench. The court was hearing PILs moved by Common Cause, advocate Manohar Lal Sharma and a few others challenging the allocations as tainted with corruption and nepotism. They had sought cancellation of all such allocations.

Japan to speed up study on Mumbai - Ahmedabad bullet train.

Going ahead with the ambitious bullet train plan, Japan and India recently agreed to expedite the ongoing study for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed rail corridor. Akihiro Ohta, Japan's Minister for Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism met Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda here and discussed in details about the proposed high speed rail corridor in India. Japan International Cooperation Agency is currently conducting a feasibility study on the 534-km-long Mumbai- Ahmedabad route for running the bullet train at a speed of 300 km per hour. The Japanese minister expressed his willingness to assist India in financing and studying the high speed rail project, said a senior Railway Ministry official. India and Japan are also cooperating on Western Dedicated Freight Corridor. Both sides agreed to resolve pending issues involved in the Western Corridor so as to ensure the expeditious implementation of the DFC project, the official said.

GMR inks pact with Nepal Govt for 900-MW hydel project.

GMR Group has entered into a Project Development Agreement with the Nepal Government for the 900-MW Upper Karnali Hydro Power Project. The agreement was signed recently in the presence of Nepal Prime Minister Sushil Koirala and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, among others. The project agreement was signed after due approvals from the Board of Investment Board of Nepal and the Nepal Cabinet. This is the largest FDI for Nepal and also the largest investment for GMR Group outside India. The Upper Karnali Hydro Power Project was awarded to the GMR Group through an International competitive bidding process in 2008. The project entails an investment of about Rs. 9,000 crore. Located on Karnali river, in the Surkhet, Dailekh and Achham districts of Nepal, the 900-MW project is to be constructed in about five years. The power generated, net of free power and power supply to Nepal, if any, is planned to be evacuated through a 400 kV double circuit transmission line up to the interconnection point of Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCIL) in India. G M Rao, Group Chairman of GMR Group, in a statement said, "The signing of the Project Development Agreement for the Upper Karnali Hydro Power Project reinforces the strong ties between India and Nepal. The development of the Upper Karnali project will be beneficial for both countries leveraging on each other�s strengths and resources. We are committed to the development of the project and the betterment of the communities in the region." The financial closure of the project (long-term tie-up of debt and equity capital) is expected to be achieved before September 2016 and thereafter the commencement of the commercial operation is expected by September 2021. GMR Group will be exploring strategic/long-term capital tie-up of both debt and equity for the project at an appropriate time. The project is expected to generate about 3,500 million units (MUs) of energy annually and 420 MUs of energy (12 per cent of installed capacity) has been earmarked as free power to Nepal. The Nepal Electricity Authority will hold 27 per cent free equity stake in the project, including all project royalties, and the 100 per cent ownership of the project will be transferred to the Government of Nepal, at the end of the 25-year concession period.

Centre, Madhya Pradesh government plan to attract Rs. 5,000 crore investment in Fertiliser sector.

The Fertilizer Ministry and Madhya Pradesh government are eyeing investments of over Rs. 5,000 crore through setting up of a fertiliser plant and a plastic park in the state. Besides, both Centre and the state have also decided to explore the possibility of setting up a petrochemical investment region around Bina refinery in Madhya Pradesh which could result in investment of a few thousand crores, sources said. Fertilizer Minister Ananth Kumar recently met Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and discussed setting up of a fertiliser plant, a plastic park and a petrochemical region in the state. After the meeting, Kumar said: "A number of proposals for various projects, including setting up of a fertiliser plant at Jabalpur and a plastic park at Gwalior. were discussed". The Union Minister added that a joint working group of officials of both the Fertilizer Ministry and the state government has been constituted to work on these proposals. According to sources, the proposed fertiliser plant will require an investment of about Rs. 5,000 crore, while the plastic park will need about Rs. 100 crore. Speaking after the meeting, Chouhan said: "The discussions were positive and we have started exploring the possibilities of all these proposals". Chouhan added that there is need for another fertiliser plant as agriculture in the state is growing at the highest rate in the county. "..we are also planning to increase the student strength of Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and Technology (CIPETs) in Bhopal to 8,000 students," the state Chief Minister said. CIPET comes under the purview of Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.

L&T bags orders worth Rs. 1,577 cr.

Larsen & Toubro's (L&T) has bagged new orders totalling Rs. 1,577 crore in September 2014, said an exchange filing from the company. Of this, the Buildings & Factories business received an order for Rs. 1,231 crore from a private developer for the construction of two residential towers in Mumbai. The company's Power Transmission & Distribution business has won orders worth Rs. 346 crore. First is a turnkey order from Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation Ltd. for supply, erection, testing and commissioning of a 400 kV D/C transmission line between Korattur-Thervaikandikai-Manali in Chennai. The next is an engineering, procurement and construction order from a private power venture to establish a 400kV double circuit transmission line in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Finally, L&T received a contract from Power Grid Corporation of India for executing 400/220 kV GIS substation at Pandiabil in Odisha. The company is also associated with the eastern region transmission system strengthening scheme.

Israel approves Intel's $6 bn investment in chip plant.

Israel's finance and economy ministries recently approved a plan by Intel Corp to invest $6 billion in the upgrade of its chip manufacturing plant in the southern town of Kiryat Gat. Intel will receive a government grant of $300 million over five years and will be eligible to pay a corporate tax rate of only 5 per cent for a 10-year period, the finance ministry said. The U.S. chip giant plans to hire close to 1,000 more workers at the plant by 2023, in addition to the 2,500 that already work there.

Rs. 81,800 cr lined up for projects, says ONGC.

State-owned petroleum explorer Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) said that it would invest Rs. 81,800 crore to bring new discoveries into production and check the decline in output from ageing fields. The company has taken up 15 projects for development. Of these, seven are complete and eight are under implementation. "These projects, with an estimated capital outlay of Rs. 40,573 crore, are geared up to produce an additional 45.6 million tonne (mt) of crude and 67.4 billion cubic metre (bcm) of gas," ONGC's chairman and managing director D K Sarraf told shareholders at the annual general meeting. He added the company was focusing on two other projects - Daman, a cluster of multiple discoveries in western offshore and KG-DWN-98/2 in the Krishna-Godavari basin. The Daman project, with an estimated peak production of 8.5 million standard cubic metres a day (mscmd) and an investment of Rs. 5,200 crore, has been approved by ONGC�s board. It is likely to start production by July 2016 while output in KG-DWN-98/2 will commence in 2018.

BHEL gets Rs. 3,500-cr order in Gujarat.

Capital goods major Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), has bagged a Rs. 3,536-crore project in Gujarat. It will be an EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) project to set up a supercritical thermal power unit for Gujarat State Electricity Corporation Ltd. (GSECL). This is the country�s first ever EPC contract for an 800 MW rating supercritical power project. The order is for a 1x800 MW coal-fired supercritical thermal unit at Wanakbori, in Gujarat.s Kheda district. With this project, BHEL has won orders for installation of 33 supercritical boilers and 28 turbines.

Reliance Power withdraws from Dadri power project in Uttar Pradesh.

Reliance Power has formally withdrawn from the Dadri power project in Uttar Pradesh after a protracted legal battle over acquisition of land for the plant. The Supreme Court recently dismissed as infructuous the company's appeal against a high court order setting aside the acquisition of land under an emergency clause, which allowed the state government to waive a requirement to seek objections from farmers before acquiring their land. This left Reliance Power free to withdraw. The state will now will have to return the compensation money paid by the company to the farmers and decide what to do with the land. Reliance Power had in a surprise move told the top court on August 25 that it wasn't interested in setting up the proposed 7,480 MW gas-fired power plant in Dadri and would return about 956 acres of land acquired for the project.

Alstom bags contract worth Euro 13 mn from Vietnam.

Engineering major Alstom has bagged a contract worth around Euro 13 million from Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) for the extension project of the Thac Mo 75 MW hydropower plant in the country. The aim of this project is to increase peak load capacity to support the existing 150 MW Thac Mo power station with 75 MW of additional power, Alstom said in a statement. The scope of the contract includes design, manufacturing, testing, supply, erection and commissioning of electro-mechanical equipment, consisting of one vertical Francis turbine of 75 MW, generator, control systems and electrical balance-of-plant equipment, the statement said. The main turbines and generators will be manufactured at Alstom's Vadodara facility in Gujarat. The electrical and mechanical balance-of-plant items will be supplied from various countries, including Vietnam. The existing Thac Mo power station has two 75 MW Francis type turbines and was commissioned in 1995. It supplies power to the national grid of EVN covering the southern part of Vietnam.

21 FDI projects get nod; Sistema's proposal rejected.

The Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) recently cleared 21 proposals, including that of Bharti Shipyard, but turned down Sistema Shyam's request to raise foreign holding. However, the proposal of Sistema Shyam Teleservices Ltd. to raise foreign stake holding in the company beyond 74 per cent was rejected by FIPB. The company has not specified the extent to which the foreign holding would be raised. FIPB, headed by Finance Secretary Arvind Mayaram, considered 35 proposals. The proposal of Bharti Shipyard - the shipbuilder has foreign direct investments through institutional investors and non-resident Indians - to undertake defence activities was cleared, sources said. Verizon Communications India�s proposal to increase foreign equity participation by its foreign parent from 74 per cent to 100 per cent was also approved. Other cleared proposals included those of Kineco Kaman Composites India Ltd in the defence sector and ANZ Capital Ltd. in the financial services sector.

GMR to set up aerospace training hub at Hyderabad airport.

GMR group is planning to establish an aerospace training hub at its international airport premises. The facility, aimed at making Hyderabad an aerospace hub, will cater to the evolving aerospace training requirements of all levels of workforce in the industry, according to the group chairman, G M Rao. Rao said, the company's team, with the help of a French multinational Safran, had visited the aerospace training centre located in Morocco. The team studied in detail as how the institute, established with the support of the Moroccan government, had made the country the destination of choice for aerospace companies. "We have a same vision for the Hyderabad and this state. In fact, we have developed relationship with the Safran team in Morocco, and they are ready to guide us in creating the aerospace training institute in Hyderabad. I humbly request the present state government to support us in setting up the aerospace training in Hyderabad and thus making it the destination of aerospace companies from across the globe," he said.

UP Govt plan Metro Rail for Meerut, Kanpur, Allahabad and Varanasi too.

The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to run metro rail in Meerut, Kanpur, Allahabad and Varanasi, after pushing for a similar project in Lucknow, an official said. Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan has asked officials to prepare a detailed project report for the same. The development came after officials recently met the chief secretary and discussed the possibility of running metro rail in these cities. A techno-feasibility of running metro in these cities has already been done and now efforts are on to take it further, the official told. While the temple city of Varanasi, represented in the Lok Sabha by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is high on priority, the state government is keen to push for the metro rail project in Ghaziabad, neighbouring the union capital New Delhi. The state government has set a timeline of June 2016 for the beginning of the Delhi-Dilshad Garden-Ghaziabad route of metro rail. Noida in Uttar Pradesh is already connected to New Delhi with the metro. The government is also mulling the possibility of extending the facility to Greater Noida which houses a large number of industries and schools other than residential areas.

34 Railway projects in the North-East to be completed in 5 years.

The Centre is aiming to complete 34 ongoing railway projects in the Northeast Frontier Railway (NRF) zone with a total anticipated cost of around Rs.54,000 crore within five years, while the much-anticipated Bogibeel Bridge would also be ready for use by June 2017. The projects will entail an additional investment of around Rs.35,000 crore. According to NFR, about Rs. 20,000 crore have already been spent for these projects as on March 31, 2014. "We have 34 different projects going on in the North East with an estimated total cost of around Rs.54,000 crore," Railway Minister DV Sadananda Gowda said. Of the 34 projects in progress in the NFR zone, 21 are new lines, seven are gauge conversion and six are doubling projects. He said developing railways in the North East is a priority and Budget allotment to the region has been hiked by 54 per cent in the Railway Budget this year. Besides, seven new passenger trains were announced. Asked about the Bogibeel project, he said, "It is going as per schedule. There is confusion in the minds of some people that there is a delay in the project, but that is not the truth." Gowda said launching of all 41 girders of Bogibeel would be completed by December 2016 and then it would take another six months to complete the bridge. "By June 2017 we are sure we will complete it," he said. Gowda said this fiscal the Indian Railways is aiming to complete work on 450 km of tracks, as compared to 310 km last fiscal. Besides, work has been taken up for 40 railway overbridges and railway underbridges and efforts are on to close all unmanned level crossings within 2-3 years. "Within five years our target is to have rail connection with all state capitals in the North East," he said. Gowda said two new lines � from Dudhnoi to Mendipathar and from Harmuti to Naharlagung � are ready and the Indian Railways will invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate them. The dates will be decided as per convenience and schedule of Modi. "I have also decided that I must visit the North East at least once every six months to review all ongoing projects," he said. The minister added that the new NDA regime at the Centre has deliberately decided to refrain from announcing new projects and would rather prefer to finish work on the pending ones. Regarding security problems, including that related to disruption of train services to Arunachal Pradesh over the ILP issue, Gowda said senior railway officials are in constant touch with the respective Chief Ministers and have secured cooperation from them. Gowda said NFR has lost revenue to the tune of Rs 50 crore annually due to drop in carriage of coal on account of Supreme Court rulings and the six-month long mega block to facilitate gauge conversion work in the Lumding-Silchar section will result in loss of Rs 100 crore. "We will complete work on the mega block within six months," he said. Regarding international projects, he said survey for extending railway connectivity to Bhutan is on, while land acquisition process has started in the Agartala-Akhaura (Bangladesh) section. He praised the Maligaon-headquartered NFR for maintaining an 87 per cent punctuality rate in running of trains. Meanwhile, during his maiden trip to the region after assuming office, the Railway Minister paid a visit to the Guwahati Railway Station and carried out an inspection of all facilities. He also interacted with passengers. Later, he held meetings with senior officials of NFR (Open Line) and NFR (Construction) at Maligaon.

World Bank keen to invest in Charkop-Dahisar and Wadala-Teen Hath Naka Metro projects.

With the Japanese government taking a lead in funding the megapolis' many signature infrastructure projects, the World Bank has evinced interest in funding the proposed Charkop-Dahisar and Wadala-Teen Hath Naka Metro projects. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has already committed to fund the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority's (MMRDA) two ambitious projects - the just announced Rs.23136 crore Colaba-Seepz Metro and the 22 km Rs.9630 crore Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL), which still remains on paper. "The MMRDA is undertaking large infrastructure projects which require huge investments. Recently, the JICA has committed to funding two major projects in the city and it has also shown interest in funding some more projects as well. "At the same time, the World Bank has also expressed interest in funding two other proposed metro projects which we will be soon taking up," MMRDA additional metropolitan commissioner Sanjay Sethi told. The World Bank had earlier funded two phases of Mumbai Urban Transport Projects implemented by the authority. While phase I involved Santacruz-Chembur and Jogeshwari-Vikhroli link roads, phase II was to strengthen the suburban railway networks and improving its operational efficiency. The state government recently merged the stalled Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd Metro line with the proposed Dahisar-Charkop corridor by converting the entire line underground instead of the originally planned elevated line. The proposed 40.2-km Dahisar-Bandra-Mankhurd Metro line is estimated to cost Rs. 28,900 crore with all the 37 stations underground. The cost of 32-km Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd corridor was originally pegged at Rs.7660 crore, while the 7.8-km Charkop-Dahisar corridor was estimated to cost Rs.4680 crore. The state has also cleared a 30.8-km-long metro link connecting Wadala on the easter fringe to Teen Hath Naka on the northwestern fringe that will have 31 stations. The link will have 10 underground stations while the rest will be on elevated line.

Major part of elevated Dadar terminus project complete.

The Western Railway has completed a major chunk of the elevated Dadar midtown terminus rail project, running parallel to Tilak Bridge. Once the Rs. 30 crore project is ready by the end of this financial year, it will decongest the station, create more entry and exit points, and passengers would be able to drive directly into the station premises. The elevated premise is as wide as an eight-lane highway and would carry taxis and public transport buses. The new midtown terminal at Dadar was planned as less and less people are now travelling all the way to Churchgate, with the business district shifting northwards. "The working poulation is shifting northwards and trains are virtually empty between Dadar and Churchgate. This prompted us to build a midtown terminus at Dadar, which will help decongest the existing station," Sharat Chandrayan, Western Railway's chief spokesperson, said. "The conection with Tilak Bridge has been completed, but portions on the other side of the elevated deck are still being built. It is a a station improvement plan like the Station Area Traffic Improvement scheme (SATIS) in Thane," a WR engineer said.

Cabinet nod for three solar parks.

The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet has given approval for setting up three Mega Solar Energy parks in Anantapur, Kurnool and Kadapa districts. The three parks with a capacity of 2,500 MW will be set up with the cooperation from Solar Power Corporation, said I&PR Minister Palle Raghunatha Reddy recently after the Cabinet meeting. The Cabinet took a decision allotting 5,500 acres for the 1,000 MW solar power park at Kadiri in Anantapaur to be set up by the NTPC with an investment of Rs.7,000 crore; 5,000 acres at Panyam in Kurnool for 1,000 MW solar power park by NVVNL company and 3,000 acres at Galiveedu in Kadapa for another solar park of 500 MW to be set up by APGenco. A memorandum of Understanding would be signed in the presence of Union Power Minister recently for the 2,500 MW solar power and also 4,000 MW thermal plant at Visakhapatnam, he said. The capital assistance of 50 per cent will come from the Centre, 41 per cent from APGenco and nine per cent from Nedcap for the solar power projects.

L&T puts lowest bid in for Sohar airport contract.

Larsen & Toubro (Oman) has put in the lowest bid to build a passenger terminal and other support facilities at Sohar Airport. The company submitted an $89.7mn (OMR34.54mn) bid, which was 23.9% lower than the closest competing bid from Carillion Alawi at $117.9mn (OMR45.38mn). Oman�s Tender Board website also showed Joannou and Paraskevaides Oman as having submitted a $143.9mn (OMR55.39mn) bid, while Strabag Oman priced the job at $159.7mn (OMR61.48mn). The final layers of the 4km-long runway, aircraft taxiways, roads, fuel station, runway lighting systems, aircraft fuelling system and setting up of equipment required for the operation of the airport are among the projects required by the third package. Sohar airport project's first and second packages have already been completed. This included civil and infrastructure work, such as construction of the 4km runway, 30km of airport service roads, as well as a rainwater protection system. Further work included the construction of an outer fence, a security fence, power plants and a wastewater treatment plant along with pumping stations for a water distribution network, a communications network, and fire system. In July, L&T won a $94.2mn (OMR36.27mn) contract to build a passenger terminal at Duqm airport. The company was the lowest bidder among three companies that submitted bids for the project. Sohar airport project�s first and second packages have already been completed. This included civil and infrastructure work, such as construction of the 4km runway, 30km of airport service roads, as well as a rainwater protection system. Further work included the construction of an outer fence, a security fence, power plants and a wastewater treatment plant along with pumping stations for a water distribution network, a communications network, and fire system. In July, L&T won a $94.2mn (OMR36.27mn) contract to build a passenger terminal at Duqm airport. The company was the lowest bidder among three companies that submitted bids for the project. The terminal building at Sohar Airport is designed to handle half a million

Yas Mall to 'change dynamic' of Yas Island.

The new 235,000m2 Yas Mall, due to open its doors on 22 November ahead of the Abu Dhabi Formula One race on the nearby F1 circuit, is set to transform the fortunes of Yas Island and its surrounding attractions, according to developer Aldar Properties' executive director of asset management, Talal Al Dhiyeb. In an interview set to air on CNN's One Square Meter at 7pm (Gulf Standard Time) recently nignt, Al Dhiyeb says that the structure - originally due to open in March "is going to change the whole dynamic of Yas". "We had the great infrastructure, the connectivity was great -- the hotels and the theme parks, but we needed the mall," he adds. Aldar chief executive Mohammed Al Mubarak also expresses his confidence in the mall's prospects because of its location - particularly its prominence to Saadiyat Island where three world-class museums are currently being built. "I cannot think of a location worldwide where you can be at Yas Mall, Ferrari World or at the water park and ten minutes later you can be at the Guggenheim, the Louvre or at the Sheikh Zayed Memorial. It really is a fantastic destination." Yas Mall is being built by main contractor Six Construct.

Multi-billion dollar Dubai projects approved.

UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has given the go-ahead for a number of ambitious multi-billion dollar development projects by the Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD). Consisting of 800 rooms, suites and 250 luxurious hotel apartments, the Royal Atlantis Resort on the Palm, Dubai will cost approximately $1.5bn. The project will also house recreational, entertainment and services facilities built to the highest international standards. In a briefing, director of Dubai Ruler's Court and ICD CEO Mohammed Ibrahim Al Shaibani said the first phase of the AED8bn ($2.1bn) Dubai Waterfront mixed-use project is expected to be completed by the end of 2016. The first three phases of the project will spread on an area of approximately 820,000m2 and will include parking lots for 6,000 vehicles. Sheikh Mohammed was also briefed on the One Za�abeel project which will be located between the Dubai World Trade Centre and Za�abeel Park and will consist of two towers (residential and commercial) linked by a suspended bridge. One Za'abeel will have an approximate cost tag of AED2.5bn and will include 550 residential units, two hotels and 130 hotel apartments. The briefing also included the Warsan project with an estimated area of one million square metres located on Aweer Road. The development includes 2,100 residential units and a school that can accommodate 3,000 students. The first phase of the project is expected to be completed within three years with an approximate cost of AED2.5bn. On another note, the Investment Corporation of Dubai also teamed up with Kerzner International Holdings to construct Atlantis resort in China. The ultra luxurious resort will span across an area of 60 hectares with expected completion on 2016.

Polls may further delay phase-II of Rs. 4,000-cr sewage disposal project.

The upcoming state Assembly elections may further delay the already long-pending phase-II of the Mumbai Sewage Disposal Project (MSDP). The Rs. 4,000 crore-project, to be carried out by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) at Bandra Reclamation, has been stuck due to non-compliance for the past two years by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) in vacating a municipal plot. Under the project, waste-water treatment plants are to be built to treat sewage water before it is let off into the sea to avoid damage to marine ecology. The three-acre municipal plot identified for the project next to the current sewage plant at Bandra Reclamation is being used by the MSRDC, which has not vacated the plot yet. The BMC had given the plot to the MSRDC on a temporary basis for a casting yard for the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. An MSDP senior official said, "We have written to the department on several occasions to handover the land, so that we can start the project at the earliest. But the project maybe delayed further, now that the code of conduct has set in and the elections will be held next month." An MSRDC official said though they had completed work on the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, it needed the casting yard for the Worli-Haji Ali Sea Link. Meanwhile, a plant in Malad has also been stuck because of environmental clearances for the past two years. The civic body has now appointed a consultant to look into the clearances for the project. "We have to follow a strict set of environmental norms for the project in Malad. We have hired a consultant, who will help us maintain these norms and seek clearances at the earliest," the official added. The MSDP official added that the development of the sewage plants at both the locations was highly necessary noting the growing infrastructure in the city.

Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train? Chinese team visits CST.

Interest in a possible Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train corridor reached a fever pitch recently with a nine-member Chinese delegation led by Lu Dong Fu, vice-minister, Ministry of Transport in China, visiting the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in south Mumbai. The delegation is in India to pursue high speed train projects. The arrival of the Chinese delegation led by a top authority is an indication of China's keeness to take up a proposed rail link project in India. Mumbai-Ahmedabad is one of the three rail links identified by the Indian Railways for running bullet trains, the other two being Delhi-Agra and Delhi-Chandigarh. A technical and financial feasibility study for the Rs. 60,000-crore rail link by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is already under way and a final report is expected mid-next year. During the two-hour visit, the Chinese officials interacted with General Manager of Central Railway and also took a guided tour of the suburban railway booking counters, suburban railway platforms and train management system.

Mauritius in talks with Delhi Metro for light rail project.

The Mauritius government has approached the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for a 'light rail' project that will cover over 37 km from the capital city to the centre of the country. DMRC officials said a preliminary meeting was held between senior Metro officials and Joyker Nayeck, Deputy High Commissioner in the Mauritius Embassy, on this. "It is too early to suggest anything. All we can say at the moment is that officials from the Mauritius High Commission are keen on understanding our technology. We have the expertise to develop Metro networks in any terrain now, underground, overground, underwater or any other. In case the Mauritius government decides to take our help, we are well-equipped to do so," a senior DMRC official said.

Hauz Khas set to get deepest underground metro station by March 2016.

Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has already completed more than 50 per cent of the civil work in the deepest ever Metro station being constructed at Hauz Khas. This station, DMRC officials said, will serve as an interchange point between the Yellow Line (Jahangirpuri to HUDA City Centre) and the upcoming Magenta Line on the Outer Ring Road (Janakpuri to Botanical Garden). Tunnel boring has also begun at the next station, IIT, and the work will be completed shortly, officials said. Constructed 29 metres below the ground, the new Hauz Khas station will surpass the depth of the Chawri Bazar station, which at 25 metres, is the deepest station now. The new Hauz Khas station will also be the first one to have five levels. At present, Metro stations in Delhi and NCR have a maximum of three levels. "There will be three intermediate levels, followed by a concourse and a roof. The rails at Hauz Khas will be laid at a depth of 29 metres from the ground level. It will be connected to the existing Hauz Khas station by a 150 metre-long subway," a senior DMRC official told Newsline.

Centre keen on Niddodi thermal power project, says Shivakumar.

Indicating that a proposal to set up a 4,000 MW capacity ultra mega thermal power project at Niddodi in Mangalore taluk is alive, Minister for Energy D.K. Shivakumar said recently that the Union government "is keen on it". Noting that he was aware of the opposition to the project by the local people, the Minister said that the project could be set up on a "win-win" basis by giving some incentives to the local people. "We can work out the details of incentives," he said in reply to a question at a press conference. Mr. Shivakumar made it clear that the government was ready to go ahead with the proposal if the people extended their cooperation. If there was no cooperation, the government will not take up the project, he said. Mr. Shivakumar said that land for the proposed project at Niddodi had been identified. To a question whether the environment impact assessment of the project has been completed, he said: "I can't say it now." He said that as Niddodi is close to New Mangalore Port enabling easy transportation of coal, the cost of production would come down, when compared coal transportation through rail or road.

Tamil Nadu to get 2,430 MW soon: Jayalalithaa.

During her one stop campaign tour here for the Mayoral by-elections Chief Minister AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa devoted a portion of her speech to address the concerns of the industries in the western region on the power front. For seven to eight years various industries here have been crippled by frequent to rampant power cuts depending on the seasons. Knowing well that Chief Ministers of some of the progressive States were wooing industrialists here Ms. Jayalalithaa presented a positive note if,not a rosy pictureon the power scenario in the State. Power was one of the main requirements of industries 2793 MW installed capacity has been added in the last three yearsshe said adding that the State was already free from power cuts since June. By the end of 2014-15 it will get additional 2430 MW. The government's efforts will result in having an additional 5723 MW power. About 500 MW of power was being purchased on midterm basis. The State was getting 562 MW from unit one of Kudankulam would get 737 MW from several new schemes. The State would get another 463 MW from Kudankulam Unit II which is expected to go operational early next year. The State had also signed agreement for purchase of 3330 MW on a longterm basis of which 1000 MW would be available later this year.,,On the industrial frontthe State has signed agreement with 33 Indianmultinational companies for investment of Rs. 31706 crore in the Stateso farRs. 13585 crore investment has come ingenerating over 12700 direct employment.

Deadline for waterways projects in Chennai extended.

The deadline for the projects to improve city waterways has been extended again. The Water Resources Department (WRD) had recently sought more time to complete the remaining works and three new projects under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). The works are expected to be completed by March. About 80 per cent of the ongoing projects to widen and desilt waterways and minimise floods has been completed so far. The projects, estimated at nearly Rs. 700 crore, were started in 2010. Though the works were slated to be completed by this month-end, various factors, including changes in design and alignment, time taken to obtain sanction for revised estimates and coordination with various departments, pushed the deadline to March next year. The extension of the deadline was recently approved by the Union Ministry of Urban Development. However, the department is confident that flooding will be minimised in the city this northeast monsoon as the majority of the work is over. Elaborating on the remaining works, officials of the WRD said portions of work to construct the retaining wall to prevent spillover of surplus water in the North Buckingham canal and Virugambakkam �Arumbakkam canal are awaiting the removal of encroachments. There are plans to relocate over 360 residents of Wood Wharf near Elephant Gate and Kalyanapuram and Adi Andhra Colony in north Chennai to tenements in Okkiam Thoraipakkam in a few days. Once the encroachments are removed, a retaining wall would be built along the remaining 700 m of the north Buckingham canal. A total of 10.4 km of the canal was taken up for widening under the JNNURM. Similarly, work to improve the Virugambakkam canal is also waiting for about 200 encroachments to be removed. Besides Central Buckingham canal, the department has started improving surplus courses of water bodies in Korattur and Porur. "We had to change alignment either to avoid land acquisition or move utility cables in some projects," the official added