L&T wins order to build LIGO-India Observatory in Maharashtra

Engineering major Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has secured a ‘significant’ order from India’s Department of Atomic Energy to establish the LIGO-India Observatory, a major global scientific infrastructure project.

Project Details

• The observatory will be set up at Aundha in Hingoli district of Maharashtra.
• The project will be executed jointly by L&T’s Heavy Civil Infrastructure and Heavy Engineering divisions.

About LIGO-India

LIGO India is a planned advanced gravitational-wave observatory forming part of the global LIGO network.

• Collaborative project between Indian research institutions and the LIGO Laboratory in the United States.
• Part of an international network studying gravitational waves.
• Received in-principle approval from the Indian government in February 2016.

What is LIGO?

The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory detects gravitational waves, not electromagnetic radiation like optical or radio telescopes.

Gravitational Waves

• Predicted by Albert Einstein in 1916 through General Theory of Relativity.
• Ripples in space-time caused by violent cosmic events such as:
  • Black hole mergers
  • Neutron star collisions
  • Supernova explosions
• First detected on 14 September 2015 (event GW150914).

Scientific Importance

• Enables India to join the global network studying cosmic events.
• Strengthens India’s capability in frontier physics and astrophysics.
• Boosts high-precision engineering and technology ecosystem.
• Encourages international scientific collaboration.

Sources: ET & NASA