Govt Cancels Auction of Nayakkarpatti Tungsten Mineral Block in TN

27 Jan 2025 CW Team

The government has cancelled the auction of Tamil Nadu's Nayakkarpatti tungsten mineral block, located near the Arittapatti Biodiversity site and several cultural heritage sites.

The decision follows a request from the local Ambalakarars community, who met with Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy on January 22, urging the cancellation due to the area's environmental and cultural significance.

After discussions, the Union minister confirmed the government's commitment to biodiversity heritage protection and decided to annul the auction.

The Nayakkarpatti block, covering over 20.16 sq km, was initially proposed for auction in February of the previous year. Despite a lack of opposition from the state government during the auction process, the final decision was made following consultations with local stakeholders.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin had earlier urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene in cancelling the auction due to the area's significance.

Infrastructure Transport

16 Jun 2025

Lack of Bidders Stalls VOC Port鈥檚 Rs 70.56 Bn Harbour Project Again

The VOC Port Authority鈥檚 Rs 70.56 billion outer harbour project has once again faced a setback, with the latest tender process cancelled due to the absence of qualified bidders. This marks the second failed attempt to secure participation for the mega infrastructure initiative.The tender has reportedly been withdrawn from the active list of bids, and the authority is now expected to re-evaluate and possibly restructure the project to enhance its appeal to potential developers.The port authority had initially floated the Request for Proposal (RFP) in December 2024, following the cancellation ..

Infrastructure Transport

16 Jun 2025

Sea Lord Containers Opens Cryogenic LPG Terminal in Mangalore

Sea Lord Containers (SCL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Aegis Logistics, has commissioned a new cryogenic Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) terminal in Mangalore. The facility, which became operational on 12 June 2025, offers a static storage capacity of 82,000 metric tons (MT), significantly strengthening the region鈥檚 LPG logistics infrastructure.The terminal was developed by SCL on behalf of Aegis Vopak Terminals, an associate company of Aegis Logistics. The asset is expected to be transferred to Aegis Vopak Terminals Limited at a later date, with formal updates to be shared separately with st..

Infrastructure Urban

16 Jun 2025

Cochin Port and Oil India Partner for Offshore Exploration Support

The Cochin Port Authority (CoPA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Oil India (OIL) to establish a shore base facility supporting offshore oil exploration in the Kerala-Konkan Basin. The agreement was formalised at a ceremony held at CoPA, Willingdon Island, on 12 June 2025, in the presence of senior officials from both organisations.Under the partnership, Cochin Port will provide critical logistics infrastructure for OIL鈥檚 offshore drilling operations, expected to begin later in 2025. The planned shore base will include a dedicated warehouse, dry bulk handling plant, and an..