India's Union Cabinet has approved two multi-tracking rail projects worth ₹24,815 crore spanning 15 districts across Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh, adding approximately 601 km to the existing Indian Railways network. The larger of the two, the Ghaziabad-Sitapur corridor, is valued at ₹14,926 crore and targets improved freight and passenger connectivity between northern and eastern India. The second project covers Andhra Pradesh, adding capacity along a corridor that has faced chronic congestion. Multi-tracking directly expands line capacity without building entirely new routes, reducing operational bottlenecks on high-density corridors while enabling higher train frequency and faster throughput for both passengers and goods. For U.P., where rail density relative to population remains a persistent constraint, the Ghaziabad-Sitapur axis unlocks movement across economically active districts. Watch for tendering timelines, land acquisition progress across the 15 districts, and whether freight operators adjust logistics routing in anticipation of expanded capacity.
India's government plans to amend the Payment and Settlement Systems Act to restore UPI merchant discount rates, ending the zero-MDR regime in place since January 2020.
India's government has introduced the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, proposing changes to payments regulation, income tax, and the Finance Act to attract FDI and support Make in India. The Bill's final shape will depend on parliamentary debate and committee review.
The government's Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, proposes to replace the blanket UPI MDR ban with a system allowing the Centre to notify which payment modes stay fee-free.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Rs 5,000 crore Bhogapuram greenfield airport in Andhra Pradesh, built under a public-private partnership model. He also laid foundation stones for infrastructure projects worth nearly Rs 18,000 crore in the state, signalling a broad investment push for the region.
