24-May-2023: Ministry of Civil Aviation launches UDAN 5.1, specifically designed for helicopter routes
Following four successful rounds of the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) - Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) and with the version 5.0 of the fifth round underway, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has launched UDAN 5.1 to further enhance the connectivity to remote areas of the country and achieve last mile connectivity through helicopters.
For the first time under RCS-UDAN, this round is designed specifically for helicopter routes.
8-May-2023: MoHUA and MoR jointly ink MoU with JICA for Project SMART
The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and Ministry of Railways jointly signed an MoU with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for ‘Station Area Development along Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail’ (Project-SMART). Project-SMART envisages to develop surrounding areas of Mumbai - Ahmedabad High Speed Railway (MAHSR) Stations to enhance accessibility and convenience of commuters & other stakeholders and to promote economic activities in the vicinity of station areas. The project would facilitate and enhance institutional capacity of State Governments, Municipal Corporations and Urban Development Authorities to plan, develop and manage surrounding areas of MAHSR stations. The MoU was inked for four High Speed Rail Stations- Sabarmati, Surat in Gujarat and Virar and Thane in Maharashtra; out of 12 stations in-route. Surat, Virar and Thane are Green field while Sabarmati is a Brown field development.
MoHUA, Govts. of Gujarat, Maharashtra and JICA are organizing a series of Seminars and field visits for the Project–SMART in Delhi, Ahmedabad and Mumbai. The first seminar of the Series has been organized at Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi on 8th May, 2023; wherein officers from Japan Embassy, JICA HQ, JICA India Office, JICA experts’ team, Ministry of Railway, National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited, MoHUA, TCPO deliberated.
The deliberations of the Seminars would contribute in preparation of ‘Station Area Development Plans’ for Sabarmati, Surat, Virar and Thane HSR Stations and model handbook, containing experiences and methodologies adopted in Japan, India and other countries for Transit Oriented Development (TOD) and Station Area Development.
4-May-2023: Shri Sarbananda Sonowal reviews progress of India’s First International Multimodal Logistics Park at Jogighopa, Assam
Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal visited the construction site of India’s first International Multi Modal Logistics park in Jogighopa, Assam to review the progress today. Shri Sonowal said the jetty at the park is likely to be completed within this year. Union Minister expressed satisfaction at the pace of work as the road and railway connectivity is also aimed at completion by end of this year.
Speaking on the occasion, the Shri Sonowal said, “For the swift development of the Northeast India, our dynamic Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji has been taking many revolutionary steps to revitalise our economy. Prime Minister Modi ji’s vision of transformation via transportation has enabled the entire region of Northeast to revamp their transportation network. As the construction of this crucial Multi Modal Park goes on in a swift pace, it is likely to unlock huge potential for the region along with the neighbouring countries like Bhutan and Bangladesh. The PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan has been conceived to revive and rejuvenate the transportation to become an efficient & effective agent of change. In order to ensure trickle down of economic prosperity, the PM Gati Shakti NMP aims at strengthening the coastal regions of both sea and rivers. I call upon everyone to join this wonderful initiative and make it a grand success.”
The park is being developed under the ambitious Bharatmala Pariyojana of the Government . First such MMLP, it is being made by NHIDCL in Jogighopa of Assam. The park will be connected to road, rail, air and waterways. This is being developed in 317-acre land along the Brahmaputra.
The distance of 154 km between Jogighopa and Guwahati will be covered by making a 4-lane road on this stretch, a 3-km rail line will connect Jogighopa station to the MMLP, another 3-km rail link will connect it to the IWT, and the road to newly developed Rupsi airport will be upgraded to 4-lanes for easier connectivity.
The MMLP will have all the facilities like, warehouse, railway siding, cold storage, custom clearance house, yard facility, workshops, petrol pumps, truck parking, administrative building, boarding lodging, eating joints, water treatment plant, etc.