New Delhi, Dec 20: A total of 38 railway projects (11 new lines, 2 gauge conversion and 25 doubling) of a total length of 5,098 kms and costing Rs 89,780 crore have been sanctioned in Maharashtra (as on April 1, 2025), the government said on Saturday.

During the last three fiscals — 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25 and the current financial year 2025-26 — 98 surveys (29 New Line, 2 Gauge Conversion and 67 Doubling) of total length 8,603 km falling fully/partly in the state of Maharashtra, have been sanctioned, it said.

“Further, construction works on the flagship High-Speed Bullet Train project have gathered momentum in Maharashtra. Now 100 per cent of land acquisition has been completed. Works on bridges, aqueducts, etc. have been taken up,” the Railways Ministry said in a statement.

In addition, platform extension work at 34 stations to accommodate 15-car EMUs has been taken up.

To improve the capacity of the rail network in the Mumbai suburban area, the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP)-II costing Rs 8,087 crore, MUTP-III costing Rs 10,947 crore, and MUTP-IIIA costing Rs 33,690 crore have been sanctioned.

To enhance passenger carrying capacity, 238 rakes of 12 cars each with doors have been sanctioned under MUTP-III and IIIA at a cost of Rs 19,293 crore. The process for the procurement of these rakes has been taken up.

With Western DFC also passing through Maharashtra, as about 178 route km of it or about 12 per cent of the overall route length, falling in the state, the ministry said that “about 76 km of this project from New Gholvad to New Vaitarna in Maharashtra has already been commissioned. Balance works have been taken up. Connectivity of WDFC to JNPT will boost the capacity to handle cargo and container traffic from the port to Delhi NCR”.

Presently, about 120 originating Mail/Express trains and about 3,200 suburban trains are handled daily in the Mumbai area.

Mumbai: As Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) is set to begin commercial operations, Jeet Adani, the Director at Adani Airports Holdings Limited, on Friday shared the upcoming plans in terms of adding more terminals, runways and connectivity modes.

Speaking to Media, Jeet Adani said, “We’ll have the first terminal operational. The terminal has a capacity of about 20 million passengers, and the first southern runway is going to be operational. As we grow in terms of traffic, we will be adding three more terminals, another runway, cross-field taxiways, metro connectivity, two kinds of metro connectivity, one towards Mumbai, one towards Panvel, water taxi and helipad.”

“So every form of transportation will be connected as a true multi-modal hub should be. This will keep going on for the next 15 years. So we see between 2038-2040, that time period is where we’ll see the entire Navi Mumbai fully built out,” he added.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 8 inaugurated the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), one of India’s most ambitious infrastructure projects and a defining milestone in the nation’s aviation journey.

Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said that Mumbai’s long wait was over as the city had now received its second international airport. He added that the Navi Mumbai International Airport would play a major role in establishing the region as Asia’s biggest connectivity hub.

NMIA has been developed as a public-private partnership (PPP) between Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), a subsidiary of Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL), and the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO).

The project represents a major stride in India’s infrastructure-building vision, reflecting the Government’s agenda of Viksit Bharat 2047.

New Delhi, Dec 20: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday voiced serious concern over what he described as targeted attacks on prominent media houses in violence-hit Bangladesh, while also condemning the forced suspension of visa services at Indian Assistant High Commissions in Khulna and Rajshahi amid worsening security conditions.

Bangladesh has witnessed a fresh wave of unrest following the death of radical Islamist leader Sharif Osman Hadi, who rose to prominence during the 2024 student movement that culminated in the ouster of the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The killing has triggered widespread protests, with violence reported in Dhaka and several other parts of the country.

Protests over the death of Inqilab Moncho leader Hadi have continued to escalate, and the mobs targeted leading media organisations and locations associated with Bangladesh’s secular legacy. Reports of arson and vandalism at media establishments have sparked alarm both within the country and internationally.

Reacting to the developments, Tharoor said the attacks on the press strike at the core of democratic values.

In a post on X, he said: “Deeply concerned by the reports from Bangladesh. The targeted mob attacks and arson at the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star are more than just an assault on two media houses; they are an assault on the freedom of the press and the very foundation of a pluralistic society.”

The Congress MP also expressed concern about the safety of journalists, including senior editors. He said he was worried about the well-being of Editor Mahfuz Anam and other media professionals working under increasingly hostile conditions.

Amid the unrest, India was compelled to shut down two visa application centres in Bangladesh, citing security threats. In Rajshahi, a march was organised by a group called ‘July 36 Mancha’ towards the Indian Assistant High Commission. The procession advanced towards the diplomatic mission but was halted midway following police intervention.

Similar demonstrations were also reported in Khulna, prompting authorities to suspend visa-related operations at both locations.

Condemning the disruption, Tharoor said the suspension of services would have far-reaching consequences.

“The forced suspension of visa services at the Indian Assistant High Commissions in Khulna and Rajshahi, driven by escalating security threats, is a major setback. This disruption directly impacts students, patients, and families who were finally seeing a glimpse of normalisation in cross-border mobility,” he said.

With Bangladesh scheduled to hold national elections on February 12, 2026, Tharoor warned that this atmosphere of violence and intolerance “bodes ill for the democratic process”.

The Congress leader also outlined steps for the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government to ensure stability and democratic continuity in the country.

Emphasising the need for decisive action, he said: “Protection of Journalists: Journalists should not have to post frantic messages for their lives while their offices burn. Mob rule must not be allowed to prevail.”

He further mentioned that the security of diplomatic facilities must be ensured to maintain vital people-to-people ties. “Extra protection must be provided for targeted embassies & consulates,” he said.

“Constructive dialogue must replace ochlocracy if the country is to survive this transition with any semblance of democracy. Interim Chief Mohammed Yunus must take the lead personally to ensure this,” he added, stressing the need to restore the calm.

Tharoor underscored that peace in Bangladesh holds significance beyond its borders, noting that stability in the country is “vital” for South Asia as a whole.

“We hope for a return to peace and a safe environment where the voice of the people is heard through the ballot, not through violence and intimidation,” he added.