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The tunnelling portion of India’s Chenani-Nashri tunnel project has now been completed. This 9.2km tunnel is of major importance for India as it will improve the transport connection between the Kashmir Valley and Jammu, reducing the distance by 30km. The tunnel is expected to open for traffic in May 2016 and will feature modern safety systems, setting a precedent for India. Advanced technology will be installed to handle ventilation, communications and traffic management, as well as safety systems such as

Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala (India) had been witnessing rapid urbanisation. The government of Kerala implemented the Thiruvananthapuram City Road Improvement Project (TRCIP) to widen the existing 42km of existing road network to cater the needs of rapid urbanisation.

Atlas Copco has launched its LP6505 walk-behind duplex roller with a flip-up hood to make service access easy, including battery charging.

A novel move in India by the government will see waste materials being used in road construction. The new legislation requires plastic waste to be used in asphalt by road construction firms. The aim of this new legislation is to overcome the problem of plastic waste disposal in India’s major urban areas. Road construction firms will be required to incorporate waste plastic within hot mix when building bitumen roads within 50km of any city with a population of 500,000 or more. The contractor is now required

Ford has developed a special suit that simulates the effects of being under the influence of drugs for a driver. The novel Drug Driving Suit is intended to show drivers the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs such as cannabis, cocaine and heroin Research shows that drivers are up to 30 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash after taking illegal drugs; the suit simulates effects that can include slowed reaction, distorted vision, and hand tremors.

The CECE has voiced his concern over government regulations that could strangle innovation for the digitalisation of construction machinery. China’s imploding economy was another topic at the recent conference in Brussels, reports David Arminas. The CECE has urged the European Parliament and European Commission to enact legislation that promotes rather than hinders the construction sector’s transition to a digitalised way of working. “We need a smart regulatory framework that helps to unlock the full poten

Advances in asphalt plant design offer major gains in product throughput and quality, while also allowing for warm asphalt and increased recycling The asphalt sector is constantly looking for ways to optimise production, lower costs and improve product quality and consistency. Competition is fierce in the asphalt plant market, with several of the key companies working hard to develop new and more efficient technologies, as well as equipment that is more versatile and more mobile. Advances have been made

Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala (India) had been witnessing rapid urbanisation. The government of Kerala implemented the Thiruvananthapuram City Road Improvement Project (TRCIP) to widen the 42km of existing road network to cater for the needs of rapid urbanisation. The government of Kerala started the initiative with the Enactment of Kerala Road Fund Act in 2001 and setting up of the Kerala Road Fund Board (KRFB) in 2004 to approve the Public Private Partnership arrangements and allocate

A huge development of roads is expected in India. The Indian Government has plans to spend around US$15.29 billion on building 10,000km of roads in the North-East of the country. A significant portion, around $3.73 billion, will be used on roads development in Arunachal Pradesh. One key project now commencing is for the widening of the Akola-Murtizaur segment of National Highway 6. The $7.46 billion project is expected to be complete by 2020.

India will carry out a feasibility study on a road link between Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu state and Thalaimannar in Sri Lanka, a federal government minister has said. "It needs the consent of both countries,” said Union minister of state for road transport, highways and shipping, Pon Radhakrishnan. “The project needs to be discussed at various levels," according to a brief report by India’s Hindu newspaper. Radhakrishnan told the reporters that federal government had begun consultations to carry out a

A pilot programme to develop safer roads is being planned for India’s capital Delhi. The Indian Government is developing the programme which will see 10 roads in Delhi being redesigned in a bid to boost road safety, particularly for vulnerable road users. Once the eight month pilot programme has been completed, the aim is to introduce similar measures right across the city. In all the city-wide road revamp for Delhi will cost some US$772.14 million and will involve improving around 1,200km of roads. The aim

Bhutan has had some success in controlling road safety but could further reduce its death tool, according to the Global Status Report on Road Safety 2015. The report, published by the World Health Organisation (WHO), says that the country has more than 15 road deaths/100,000 people. This is higher compared than Pakistan at 14.2 deaths/100,000 people and 13.6/100,000 people in Bangladesh. However, India has a higher fatal crash rate than Bhutan with 16.6 deaths/100,000. A total of 3% of the total deaths in B

India is considering a 28km expressway connecting the south of Indira Gandhi Airport in Delhi to Daulapura on National Highway-8. The project, which hopes to ease traffic on NH-8 that connects Gurgaon and Jaipur, is estimated to cost more than US$5 billion, according to a report in the Business Standard. The NH-8 connects New Delhi, the federal capital, with Mumbai, on India’s western coast.

A shortage of fuel is affecting transportation in Nepal. The landlocked country is suffering heavily from a fuel shortage following limits on supplies crossing the border from neighbouring India. Nepal is dependent for its fuel supply on the Indian Oil Corporation. According to an official at Nepal Oil Corporation, a total of 18,000kilolitres of petrol, 68,000kilolitres of diesel, 3,000 kiloliters each of kerosene and domestic aviation fuel, 7,000kilolitres of international aviation fuel and 1.40 million

The leading Indian construction equipment exhibition is being renamed BAUMA CONEXPO, with the fourth event being held in Delhi from December 12th-15th 2016. Three successful trade shows have held under the name of bC India, with the first in 2011 as a cooperation between Messe München and the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM). To further raise the profile of this exhibition, the two partners have agreed on a new name for the event: BAUMA CONEXPO INDIA. By doing this, Messe München and AEM are

India’s rate of fatal road crashes is high, with one death occurring every four minutes on average according to research. Worse still, the study also shows that India’s road deaths could increase further to a fatality every three minutes on average by 2020. The rate of road related fatalities is increasing as vehicle numbers grow in the country. Safety measures and enforcement measures are inadequate, which is why the problem is continuing to grow. The cost of this high road death rate is an economic burden

A British university’s Big Bridge Build project has set a world record for the largest Meccano structure. Around 50 students from the School of Planning, Architecture and Civil Engineering at Queen’s University in Belfast, Northern Ireland, spent a year erecting the footbridge across the Clarendon Dock. The structure, at 28.5m long, was built using an estimated 11,000 pieces from Meccano, a children’s engineering construction toy. Laid end-to-end, the pieces would stretch for just under 4km.

German firm BOMAG continues to grow its presence in the road construction equipment sector. In the 10 years since BOMAG was purchased by the French Fayat Group, BOMAG has broadened its product range beyond being a leader in the compaction sector and invested heavily in its manufacturing facilities. It has also forged strong links with its Italian sister company Marini, the asphalt plant manufacturer, with the two jointly developing a wide array of asphalt road construction technologies. BOMAG recently he

Two large highway projects in India are now moving forward following the award of contracts by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The NHAI awarded a contract worth US$269.62 million to Hindustan Construction Co (HCC) for the construction of a highway in the local state of Jammu and Kashmir. The project is part of the second stage of the National Highways Development Project (NHDP) initiative by the NHAI for the NH 1A highway, and covers 36km including 3km of tunnels between Banihal and Ramban.

Software specialist Bentley Systems has announced the nominees for its ccconstruction software innovation awards, being held in the UK in November 2015. The project finalists for the 2015 Be Inspired Awards highlight Bentley users advancing infrastructure design, construction, and operations throughout the world. Ten independent jury panels selected the 54 finalists from more than 360 nominations submitted by organisations in 55 countries.