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LIGO-India: ₹2,300 Cr Approved, ₹1,600 Cr Tender Delayed, Hingoli Site Awaits Construction for 2030 Deadline

Target:MPSCUPSC GS-IIISSC GATeachingPrelims HighMains MediumStatic GK Link
09 Mar 2026
~2 min
Source: Indian Express
Key Data:₹2,300 crore₹1,600 crore2030January 23, 2026April 2023
Bodies:Department of Atomic Energy (DAE)Directorate of Construction Services and Estate Management
Practice MCQs from today's news ▸
What This Article Covers

1.LIGO-India, a ₹2,300 crore gravitational wave observatory in Hingoli, Maharashtra, is delayed as its ₹1,600 crore construction tender remains unawarded a year after being floated.

2.The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) maintains the 2030 deadline, but only a site office exists; the financial bid was opened in January 2026.

3.This project, to work in sync with US LIGOs, represents India's first mega-science endeavour in detecting gravitational waves, predicted by Einstein's theory.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · Medium

India's ambitious ₹2,300 crore LIGO-India project, a mega-science gravitational wave observatory in Maharashtra's Hingoli, faces delays with its ₹1,600 crore construction tender yet to be awarded nearly a year after being floated. The project, crucial for India's position in fundamental physics research, is officially still targeting a 2030 completion deadline.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Project Cost₹2,300 crore (approved)
Construction Tender Value₹1,600 crore
Project Deadline2030
LocationHingoli district, Maharashtra
Tender Financial Bid OpenedJanuary 23, 2026

1-Minute Revision

  • ›Project Cost: ₹2,300 crore (approved)
  • ›Construction Tender Value: ₹1,600 crore
  • ›Target this Data: ₹2,300 crore (approved cost) and ₹1,600 crore (tender value).
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: Directorate of Construction Services and Estate Management, Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).
  • ›Target this Location: Hingoli district, Maharashtra.

Mastered this topic? Test your knowledge with a full MCQ quiz.

Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

Under which government department does the LIGO-India project fall?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding LIGO-India:

1. Its total financial approval from the Centre is ₹2,300 crore.

2. The construction tender for the project is worth ₹1,600 crore and was awarded in January 2026.

3. The project is located in the Hingoli district of Maharashtra.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

What is the approved deadline for the completion of the LIGO-India project?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What is the primary scientific significance of the LIGO observatory, as mentioned in the article?

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