Road & rail link between India's Rameswaram and Sri Lanka's Thalaimannar could be a reality soon!

The Project may be a combination of bridge and underwater tunnel which may allow unhindered movement of ships.

By Rajat Arora, ET Bureau | Aug 03, 2015, 09.35 PM IST

Road & rail link between India's Rameswaram and Sri Lanka's Thalaimannar could be a reality soon!

NEW DELHI: A road and rail link between India’s Rameswaram and Sri Lanka’s Thalaimannar could be a reality soon as the government of India has asked Asian Development Bank to carry out pre-feasibility study for financing the project across Palk Strait between India and Sri Lanka.

A short boat ride used to connect the railway lines that ended at Thalaimannar in Sri Lanka and Dhanushkodi in India, which was in operation till 1966.

The Project may be a combination of bridge and underwater tunnel which may allow unhindered movement of ships. As the project is in the conceptual stage, it is too early to comment on the time bound programme of this project.

However, the government of SriLanka is yet to give its nod to the project, Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways, Pon. Radhakrishnan informed the Rajya Sabha on Monday.

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Twelve major infrastructure developments in 2014

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Economictimes.com & Agencies

While some states were added on India's railway map for the first time in 2014, Mumbai saw multiple connectivity enhancements in terms of roads and metro connectivity. Yet another addition to India's infrastructure was the inauguration of the country's largest solar plant.

Railway lines, roadways, airports and metro connectivity - India's saw many major infrastructure developments in 2014. We take a look at twelve prominent ones:

Economictimes.com & Agencies

While some states were added on India's railway map for the first time in 2014, Mumbai saw multiple connectivity enhancements in terms of roads and metro co..

In July this year, a passenger train set a new national speed record of 160 kilometres an hour (100 miles an hour) during a test between New Delhi and Agra.

The test, part of the government's plans to upgrade the ageing rail network, saw the train complete the 200 kilometres between New Delhi and Agra in around 90 minutes. There are 10 coaches altogether in this semi-high speed train.

The semi-high speed train would reduce the travel time between Delhi and Agra by about 30 minutes to 90 minutes. The speed of the train is more than the Shatabdi that runs from New Delhi to Agra.

Read more about it

In July this year, a passenger train set a new national speed record of 160 kilometres an hour (100 miles an hour) during a test between New Delhi and Agra.

The test, part of the government's..

Touted to be country's first international standard bus terminal - the central bus depot of Vadodara - designed on the theme of banyan tree has given a new identity to the city.

Rechristened as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Central Bus Station, the bus terminal has electronic scrolling system to provide arrival and departure timings of buses to commuters.

Apart from an air-conditioned deluxe waiting hall and waiting lounge, the GSRTC portion has dormitories for GSRTC crew and passengers. The GSRTC Bus Station has been constructed under Public-Private Partnership at the cost of Rs 110 crore.

Read more about it

Image by Gujarat government

Touted to be country's first international standard bus terminal - the central bus depot of Vadodara - designed on the theme of banyan tree has given a new identity to the city.

Rechristened ..

The Udhampur-Katra rail section in Jammu and Kashmir become operational. The line enables pilgrims to the Vaishno Devi shrine to travel directly to the base camp at Katra.

Constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 1050 crore, the route consists of seven tunnels and 30 small and big bridges. A total of seven tunnels span over 10 km of the 25-km stretch.

The Udhampur-Katra rail route passes through hostile terrain, making it an extremely challenging project. The most difficult task for railways was to complete and lay tracks on 3.1-km-long tunnel on the route.

Read more about it

Image by: Anil Chhatri, Northern Railways

The Udhampur-Katra rail section in Jammu and Kashmir become operational. The line enables pilgrims to the Vaishno Devi shrine to travel directly to the base camp at Katra.

Constructed at an es..

According to SMC, the BRTS is a high quality, ultra-modern and passenger oriented rapid transit system which aims to deliver fast, comfortable, economical and eco-friendly mobility to urban dwellers. This first phase of the BRTS under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM) was planned in 2009-10.

An integrated transit system comprising of BRT, regular urban bus, regional bus and regional rail are envisaged to deliver the feeder services to meet with the needs of people of Surat.

Read more about it

Image by Surat Municipal Corporation

The country's biggest solar power plant was inaugurated in Madhya Pradesh. The solar power plant is located at Diken in Jwad area of Neemuch district of Madhya Pradesh.

The plant is expected to cater to power needs of 6.24 lakh homes in the state. With the commissioning of this project, an estimated 216,372 tonnes of carbon will be mitigated annually.

The solar plant is one of the largest solar plants in the world spread across 800 acres of barren terrain.

Read more about it

The country's biggest solar power plant was inaugurated in Madhya Pradesh. The solar power plant is located at Diken in Jwad area of Neemuch district of Madhya Pradesh.

The plant is expected t..

On April 7, a train chugged into Naharlagun for the first time in Arunachal Pradesh's history!

Before this daily passenger train service on the Harmuti - Naharlagun (Itanagar) broad gauge section, the state had only 1.26 km railway line inside its border with a single station, Bhalukpong, in East Kameng district.

The line from Harmuti traverses 6 kms in Lakhimpur district of Assam before entering lower Subansiri and runs along the left bank of river Dikong for about 7 km up to Doimukh before crossing the river.

Read more about it

Image by: North East Frontier Railway

On April 7, a train chugged into Naharlagun for the first time in Arunachal Pradesh's history!

Before this daily passenger train service on the Harmuti - Naharlagun (Itanagar) broad gauge sec..

A new airport terminal at Ozar, around 20 km from Nashik city was inaugurated on March 3. The Nashik airport is meant to help in decongestion of air traffic at Mumbai.

The new terminal, spread over 22 acres, with 8,267 sq metre built-up area, offers international-standard amenities. Around six planes can land at the airport simultaneously.

The terminal is located around 20 km from Nashik. Road connectivity from the city to the airport has improved due to widening of the Mumbai-Agra National Highway 3, reducing travel time from 45 minutes to 15-20 minutes.

Read more about it

A new airport terminal at Ozar, around 20 km from Nashik city was inaugurated on March 3. The Nashik airport is meant to help in decongestion of air traffic at Mumbai.

The new terminal, spread..

Claimed to be India's first double-decker flyover - part of the Santacruz-Chembur Link Road - was finally be thrown open for traffic in Mumbai. The 6.5km road provides quick east-west connectivity.

The Rs 450 crore SCLR project offers faster connectivity between Western Express Highway and Eastern Express Highway (EEH). The SCLR comprises 1.8km long double-decker flyover above the Central Railway's main line and Harbour line tracks.

Read more about it

Image by: MMRDA

Meghalaya was recently added to the country's railway map with the first passenger train to the northeastern state. he latest estimated project cost is about Rs 275 crore.

With the commissioning of this line, Meghalaya, which was the only state among the seven sisters of the Northeast not having any railway line, has been brought into the Railway Map of India.

The Dudhnoi - Mendipathar railway line passes through Goalpara district of Assam. Out of the total length of 19.75 km of the line, 10.26 km falls in Assam and 9.49 km in Meghalaya.

Read more about it

Meghalaya was recently added to the country's railway map with the first passenger train to the northeastern state. he latest estimated project cost is about Rs 275 crore.

With the commission..

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Road & rail link between India's Rameswaram and Sri Lanka's Thalaimannar could be a reality soon!

The Project may be a combination of bridge and underwater tunnel which may allow unhindered movement of ships.

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