Page 64 - Construction_Opportunities_December_2025

EQUIPMENT TICKER TAPE Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu recently
HIMACHAL CM SUKHU ANNOUNCES `460 CRORE
DISBURSED FOR KANGRA AIRPORT EXPANSION.

announced that `460 crore has been disbursed for the expansion
of Kangra Airport. The project is expected to boost land value and
attract higher tourist inflow once completed.The announcement
came during Sukhu’s visit to Gram Panchayat Tangroti in the
Dharamshala Assembly constituency for the “Sarkar Gaon
Ke Dwar” programme, where he addressed local residents’
grievances. Sukhu also highlighted that the state government has
designated Kangra district as Himachal Pradesh’s tourism capital,
with several tourism projects currently underway in the region.

UPMRC EYES 1,575 KM METRO NETWORK ACROSS UTTAR
PRADESH BY 2047
The Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation (UPMRC) has unveiled
an ambitious plan to construct a 1,575-kilometre metro network
across the state by 2047. The roadmap was presented by UPMRC
Managing Director Sushil Kumar at the “Viksit Uttar Pradesh for Viksit
Bharat@2047” seminar.
The project will begin with major expansions in the state’s existing
metro cities, including 225 km in Lucknow, 200 km in Kanpur, and
100 km in Agra. Other key urban centers such as Noida-Greater
Noida, Varanasi, and Prayagraj are slated for 150 km corridors
each, while districts like Gorakhpur, Ayodhya, and Meerut will
receive 50 km networks each. The initial phase aims to complete
approximately 790 km of the network by 2035.
Kumar emphasized the financial viability of the project, noting
that the state’s share for the first 525 km expansion would be
`1,040 crore annually. He also highlighted UPMRC’s proven track
record, pointing out that its existing metro systems are already
operationally setting benchmarks for efficiency.

DMRC COMPLETES TUNNEL UNDER RED LINE AT similar precautions.
PULBANGASH WITHOUT DISRUPTING TRAIN SERVICES Officials emphasized that the successful completion of this
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has successfully operation without service disruption demonstrates DMRC’s
completed a technically challenging tunnelling operation under technical expertise and commitment to minimizing inconvenience
the operational Red Line at Pulbangash as part of its Phase-IV to commuters.
expansion. The tunnel forms a key part of the Janakpuri West–
RK Ashram Marg extension of the Magenta Line, connecting the
Pulbangash and Sadar Bazar stretch.
Trains on the busy Red Line, which carries nearly seven lakh
passengers daily, continued to run uninterrupted throughout the
operation, even as the tunnel boring machine (TBM) worked just
below the elevated viaduct. The structure at the site sits on open
foundations with a balanced cantilever span, making tunnelling
beneath it especially sensitive.
To ensure safety, engineers implemented a detailed ground-
strengthening plan around the existing pier, including the use of
the Tube-a-Manchette (TAM) grouting technique. This involved
creating 180 boreholes around the pier, which were filled with
high-strength cement grout to stabilise the soil, fill voids, and
prevent settlement during tunnelling.
DMRC also deployed extensive monitoring instruments to
track ground movement, pier behaviour, and the condition of
nearby buildings in real time. The downline tunnel has now been
completed, while work on the up-line tunnel continues under

64 CONSTRUCTION OPPORTUNITIES|DECEMBER 2025