Highways Financial News

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. If you happen to be on a Texas highway sometime this summer, and see a 50,000-pound semi truck barreling along with nobody behind the wheel, just remember: A self-driving truck is less likely to kill someone than one driven by a human. At least that’s what Chris Urmson, chief executive of autonomous-vehicle software maker Aurora Innovation, insists.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. India’s highway projects are set to become more expensive after the government mandated that service roads and slip roads must be built to the same standards as the main carriageways. The new guidelines—notified by the ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH)—require developers to repair, strengthen or fully construct service roads before work begins on the main highways.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. India’s electric vehicle (EV) market is expanding, but adoption remains modest across most segments, particularly cars, buses, and two-wheelers. An August report by Niti Aayog noted that while more than half of India’s three-wheelers are now electric, other categories continue to lag.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. NEW DELHI: The heavy industries ministry has proposed new localization rules for e-ambulances under the ₹10,900 crore PM E-drive scheme, allowing manufacturers to import traction motors fitted with rare earth magnets till 3 March 2026, the ministry said in response to Mint’s email query.

According to an official release, thereafter, at around 12:45 PM, PM Modi will perform darshan and pooja at the Ramanathaswamy temple at Rameswaram. At around 1:30 PM in Rameswaram, he will lay the foundation stone and dedicate various rail and road projects worth over Rs 8,300 crore to the nation in Tamil Nadu. He will also address the gathering on the occasion. These projects include the foundation stone for the four-laning of the 28-km-long Walajapet — Ranipet section of NH-40 and dedication to the Nation of the 4-laned 29-km-long Viluppuram — Puducherry section of NH-332, 57-km-long Poondiyankuppam — Sattanathapuram section of NH-32, and 48-km-long Cholapuram — Thanjavur section of NH-36. These highways will connect many pilgrim centres and tourist places, reduce the distance between cities and enable faster access to Medical colleges and hospitals and ports, besides empowering local farmers to transport agricultural products to the nearby markets and boosting the economic activity of local leather and small-scale industries. The Prime Minister will inaugurate the new Pamban Rail Bridge and flag off the new train service for Rameswaram-Tambaram (Chennai). The bridge carries a deep cultural significance. According to the Ramayana, the construction of Ram Setu was initiated from Dhanushkodi near Rameswaram. The Bridge, linking Rameswaram to the mainland, stands as a remarkable feat of Indian engineering on the global stage. It is built at a cost of over Rs 700 crore. It is 2.08 km in length, features 99 spans and a 72.5-metre vertical lift span that rises up to a height of 17 metres, facilitating smooth movement of ships while ensuring seamless train operations.

Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved four multitracking projects worth Rs 18,658 crore this week. Addressing journalists on Friday, Union Railways, Information Broadcasting, and Information Technology Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw said these initiatives will improve travel convenience, reduce logistic cost, decrease oil imports, and contribute to lower CO2 emissions. In another decision, the cabinet approved the second Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP-II) for improving infrastructure at bordering inhabited areas. The four multitracking projects cover 15 districts across Maharashtra, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh, increasing the existing network of Indian Railways by about 1247 kilometres (kms). They are expected to be complete by 2030-31. Vaishnaw said these new projects will operate similar to freight corridors. The projects aim to enhance logistical efficiency by increasing the line capacity along the key routes for coal, iron ore, and other minerals. Responding to a query on whether these new lines will be dedicated solely for freight operations, Vaishnaw said, “Networks work best when they are integrated, whether railway, highway, or telecom.” The capacity augmentation works will result in additional freight traffic of magnitude 88.77 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum).

autonomous driving features. A Xiaomi SU7 sedan drove into a concrete guardrail on an expressway in eastern China late Saturday at a speed of around 60 mph, according to a post on Xiaomi's official social media account. On Tuesday, local media published reports about the collision and ensuing fire, which killed three college students, along with pictures of the charred remains of the vehicle. Xiaomi said the driver had deployed the company's Navigate On Autopilot, an assisted-driving feature, while going around 70 mph on the expressway. The car was traveling at that speed when it reached a roadblock, because a portion of the road was under repair with traffic diverted into a different lane.

National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has hiked the toll charges by an average of 4-5% on tolled highway stretches across the country. The revised toll charges will be effective from April 1, 2025. Toll revision is an annual exercise and is linked to the changes in the wholesale price index based inflation. Every year, it is implemented from April 1. There are around 855 user fee plazas on national highway network on which user fee is levied as per National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008. Out of these, around 675 are public-funded fee plazas and 180 are concessionaire-operated toll plazas. The revised rates will affect the commuters of key routes across the country including Delhi-Meerut Expressway, Eastern Peripheral Expressway, Delhi-Jaipur highway among others. With average monthly collection of around Rs 6000 crore and 350 million monthly toll users, the NHAI is expected to garner nearly Rs 70,000 crore in toll collection in FY ’2024-25.

Manglam Group will invest INR 1,000 crore over the next five years to expand its hospitality business in Rajasthan to cater to rising demand for premium hotels. Jaipur-based Manglam Group has already developed 'Westin Jaipur Resort', a 150-room luxury property on the Delhi-Jaipur Highway. The property will soon open to the public. To expand its hospitality business, the company plans to invest INR 1,000 crore over the next five years. In a statement on Monday, Manglam Group said it has started work on its second hospitality project in Jaipur comprising about 200 rooms. This new hotel will be a part of a mixed-use development in Jagatpura and will be managed by a global brand.

flash floods. Millions of people could face severe weather conditions from Saturday through Monday. Travel disruptions and infrastructure damage are expected.

Jagjit Singh Dallewal has not ended his indefinite fast even though he drank a glass of water after farmers detained last week by the state police were released from different jails, farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar said on Saturday. The Punjab government on Friday told the Supreme Court that Dallewal accepted water and broke his fast. Countering the Punjab government's claims, Kohar said on Saturday Dallewal had made it clear he would take water only after all the farmers are released. «And Dallewal drank a glass of water after farmer leaders were released,» said Kohar, a close aide of Dallewal. «We want to make it clear that a false impression was being given that Dallewal has ended his indefinite fast. His hunger strike continues.» Punjab Advocate General Gurminder Singh told the apex court on Friday they dispersed on March 19 the farmers protesting at Khanauri and Shambhu border points with Haryana, and opened the roads and highways that were blocked due to the sit-ins. Protesting farmers and some of their leaders were also detained by the Punjab Police on that day.

Meerut Police has issued a directive prohibiting Eid prayers on public highways, warning of legal consequences for violations. The order specifically applied to the final Friday prayers of Ramzan on March 28 and Eid-Ul-Fitr. Those found violating the directive may face penalties, including the cancellation of passports and driver's licenses.

Bharatmala Pariyojana Scheme, have faced delays primarily due to factors like land acquisition issues and financial difficulties faced by contractors, Parliament was informed Wednesday. Besides force majeure events, scarcity of construction materials, etc have also caused delays in the projects, Union Minister for Road, Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said in a reply to Rajya Sabha. «The implementation of 637 projects, including those under the Bharatmala Pariyojana Scheme, has faced delays...,» the Minister said. To overcome these challenges and expedite project execution, the government has undertaken various initiatives, Gadkari said… These include streamlining and expediting land acquisition process, revamping Parivesh Portal to facilitate faster forest and environmental clearances, enabling online approval of General Arrangement Drawing (GAD) of Road Over Bridge/Road Under Bridge (ROB/RUB) from the Railways, and conducting review meetings at various levels with all stakeholders, including state governments, he said. On the financial implication, Gadkari said it does not arise in every delayed project. The minister said if delay is not attributable to the contractor, price escalation is paid as per contract conditions, which may or may not result in additional cost, depending upon final value of price escalation determined on actual completion of the project.

Windows XP that’s sparking memories—it’s the dramatic transformation of the landscape itself. Originally capturing a serene scene of rolling green hills and a brilliant blue sky, the photo has made its way back into the spotlight, now showing a stark contrast to what it once was. Once a vibrant, untouched paradise, it has now changed in ways that reflect the passage of time, leaving fans to marvel at how much the iconic location has evolved since its debut in 2001.

Alternative Investment Fund (AIF), has signed definitive agreements to acquire two operational road assets from CDS Infra Projects for Rs 1,500 crore. The assets, developed under the National Highways Authority of India’s (NHAI) Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM), are located in Haryana and Punjab and form part of the 669-km Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway. The transaction is subject to regulatory and NHAI approvals, along with customary closing conditions. NIIOF, the flagship core infrastructure fund of Neo Asset Management, focuses on acquiring derisked, operational infrastructure assets that generate stable and predictable cash flows. HAM road projects operate under 15-year concessions with NHAI, offering contracted revenues independent of traffic volumes, making them relatively lower-risk investments.

BYD has reported impressive growth for 2024, surpassing Tesla in revenue. The company earned 777.1 billion yuan ($107.2 billion), significantly higher than Tesla's previously reported revenue of $97.7 billion. BYD also posted a net profit of 40.3 billion yuan, a 34% increase from 2023, marking a record high. In January, the company revealed that it sold nearly 4.3 million vehicles last year, a 40% increase over the previous year. The Chinese company’s strong results come at a time when Tesla is struggling, with a 71% drop in net income for the fourth quarter of 2024. Tesla's profits fell to $2.32 billion, down from $7.93 billion, as reported by CNBC in late January.

Sonu Sood’s wife, Sonali Sood, was involved in a severe car accident on the Mumbai-Nagpur highway on March 24, 2025. She was traveling with her sister and nephew when their vehicle met with a crash. Her nephew, who was behind the wheel, also suffered injuries, while her sister escaped with only minor wounds. Following the accident, Sonali and her nephew were rushed to Max Hospital in Nagpur, where they are undergoing treatment. Doctors have kept them under close observation for 48 to 72 hours to monitor their recovery. Upon hearing about the incident, Sonu Sood immediately rushed to the hospital to be by his wife’s side. A spokesperson confirmed the accident and stated that Sonu is currently unavailable as he remains with his family during this critical time.

investors with the opportunity to enter the real estate and infrastructure markets—sectors traditionally accessible only to those with significant capital. REITs primarily focus on commercial real estate assets such as office spaces, malls, and hotels, while InvITs invest in infrastructure projects, including highways, power transmission networks, and gas pipelines. These instruments are listed on Indian bourses akin to a normally listed stock and are regulated by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), enabling both retail and institutional investors to participate in large-scale, professionally managed ventures, while benefiting from liquidity and transparency. With over a decade of success, the Indian REITs & InvITs landscape is steadily evolving and poised for further growth. As of March 2025, India has 4 listed REITs and 26 SEBI-registered InvITs, 4 of which are publicly traded.

Shares of Bharat Forge Ltd.(up 5.14 per cent), Bajaj Auto Ltd.(up 2.57 per cent), Eicher Motors Ltd.(up 2.52 per cent), Hero MotoCorp Ltd.(up 1.71 per cent) and Exide Industries Ltd.(up 1.58 per cent) ended the day as top gainers in the pack.

Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers shares jumped 8.5% in morning trade on Thursday, adding to the near 20% gain in the previous day after siging an initial pact with PWD Nagaland for Modular Steel Bridges. GRSE signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with PWD Nagaland to provide eight sets of double-lane modular steel bridges in the state. This agreement is the first of its kind between GRSE and a North Eastern state and is in line with the Government of India’s Make in India initiative aimed at boosting regional development. GRSE's shares were trading at Rs 1780.05 apiece, up 8.5% at 11:15 am. The BSE Sensex was up 0.7%.