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Singapore Airlines to expand vaccinated travel lane network to India, 26 other countries

Singapore Airlines and its low-cost carrier Scoot will expand its Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) network from March 16 to connect to 66 cities in 27 countries, including India, a media report said on Tuesday. VTL allows quarantine-free travel to Singapore for fully vaccinated travellers. “New VTL services will be added progressively to selected cities in Southeast Asia and India, as well as Athens, from March 16, 2022,” a Channel News Asia report quoted the airlines’ parent company SIA Group as saying. It said more non-VTL flights will also be converted to VTL flights for certain destinations and a total of 66 cities in 27 countries will be added. Reporting its operating results for February, SIA Group said passenger capacity fell slightly to 44 per cent of pre-COVID-19 levels. This is 2 per cent lower than in January, “attributable to February being a shorter month”, the report said. Passenger capacity is expected to reach around 57 per cent of what it was pre-COVID-19 by April this year. The group passenger load factor was 39.1 per cent in February, a 0.9 per cent drop from the month before. The figure is a 29.4 per cent rise from the same time last year. VTL ticket sales remained subjected to a 50 per cent reduction in arrival quotas in the first half of February. “On February 16, 2022, Singapore announced that it would remove the 50 per cent cap, and progressively increase the VTL quota for daily arrivals from 5,000 to 15,000, by March 4, 2022,” said SIA Group. Cargo operations registered a cargo load factor of 69 per cent in February, 25.6 per cent lower year-on-year; this was “in line with seasonal fluctuations”, it added. Cargo capacity was up 50.4 per cent in February as a result of the progressive resumption of passenger flights. But cargo loads rose just 9.8 per cent as overall air cargo demand eased during the Chinese New Year holiday period and more bellyhold space was allocated for carriage of passenger bags as passenger load factor improved, the SIA Group said. As at the end of February, Singapore Airlines served 63 destinations, with Scoot flying to 37 destinations, according to the Channel report.

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The Eiffel Tower has grown by nearly 20 ft

Well, you read that right! On Tuesday, the iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris grew by nearly 20 ft (six meters), thanks to a new digital radio antenna. Now the height of the famous tower measures 330 m. The tower was built in the 19th century by the famous architect Gustava Eiffel. On Tuesday, engineers airlifted a new digital audio antenna onto its peak with the help of a helicopter, which instantly added up to the height of the tower. A number of tourists witnessed the historic moment. Jean-François Martins, the Eiffel Tower company's president, informed the Associated Press that scientific progress is important for the tower. “It's a historical moment this morning, because the Eiffel Tower is getting higher, which is not so common". He further said, “From the invention of the radio at the beginning of the 20th century to right now, decades after decades, the Eiffel Tower has been a partner for all the radio technology.” The Eiffel Tower was inaugurated on March 31,1889, and was 1024 ft high at that time. There was a time when Eiffel was the tallest man-made structure in the world. Made of wrought-iron lattice, the tower today is among the most visited tourist attractions in the world. The event was also live telecasted, the helicopter lowering the antenna onto its base. It took less than 10 minutes for workmen to complete the operation. Besides, the tower has also been used for broadcast transmissions for more than a century now! A number of old antennas were also replaced recently.

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Tourists will soon be able to visit beautiful villages along Indo-China border

The Union government has announced plans to open the villages along the Chinese border for tourists under the Vibrant Village programme. With regard to this, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) held a meeting with public representatives of such villages from a number of states, including Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, the Union Territory of Ladakh, and Arunachal Pradesh. As per the revised Border Areas Development Plan (BADP), there are around 198 villages within the 242 km border of Himachal Pradesh with China. To start with, those villages will be taken up on priority that are situated within a 10 km distance from the last border village. Reports have it that the last village on the border will be spotted from where an arch will be drawn to select villages that fall within the 10 km distance for development, and setting up of all necessary facilities. This will in turn help to integrate the border villages and also check the migration of tribal people. Chitkul, Chango, and Namgia are some of the villages that are situated closest to the international border. And there are nine passes (seven in Kinnaur, two in Lahaul and Spiti) along the international boundary between India and China. Chief Secretary Ram Subhag Singh said that the detailed project reports (DPRs) for the development of border villages are being prepared under the Vibrant Villages Programme to avail the benefits of the scheme in the next financial year (2022-23). He further added that talks have been held with the Secretary Border Management and the Deputy Commissioners of Kinnaur and Lahaul and Spiti districts have been sensitized. Under the BADP, the selected villages will be provided livelihood and all things required to fill the critical gaps with focus on developing tourist sites, strengthening communication, accessible road connectivity, and other facilities.

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Thailand to relax entry rules for tourists to support economic recovery as war hits arrivals

Thailand plans to scrap a mandatory pre-arrival Covid-free certificate for vaccinated tourists to support an economic recovery facing headwinds from the pandemic and the fallout of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The nation’s main Covid task force will consider on Friday a Health Ministry proposal to waive the RT-PCR test requirement before travelling to Thailand, according to Permanent Secretary of Public Health Kiattiphum Wongrajit. The ministry is also seeking to lower the minimum medical insurance need to $10,000 from $20,000, he said. Travellers will still need to undergo an RT-PCR test on arrival and a self-administered rapid antigen test on day five, Kiattiphum said. Thailand, which is battling an omicron-fuelled Covid wave, currently requires vaccinated visitors to pre-book a hotel and an RT-PCR test before applying for a visa. They also require a negative RT-PCR test taken within 72 hours of boarding a flight. The Thai tourism industry has called the visa rules “cumbersome” and sought free entry for inoculated travellers to draw more visitors. The return of tourists in large numbers is key to sustaining a nascent economic revival after the sector in 2019 attracted 40 million foreign visitors and generated more than $60 billion in revenue. Russian tourist arrivals this year are seen 50% below an earlier forecast of 500,000 due to the travel disruptions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to the Thai Chamber of Commerce. “We will propose further easing of travel requirements this Friday as the Covid-19 situation is moving in line with our assumption, which predicts new cases to start slowing down from mid-March,” Kiattiphum told reporters. The Thai tourism industry has called the visa rules “cumbersome” and sought free entry for inoculated travellers to draw more visitors. The return of tourists in large numbers is key to sustaining a nascent economic revival after the sector in 2019 attracted 40 million foreign visitors and generated more than $60 billion in revenue. Russian tourist arrivals this year are seen 50% below an earlier forecast of 500,000 due to the travel disruptions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to the Thai Chamber of Commerce. “We will propose further easing of travel requirements this Friday as the Covid-19 situation is moving in line with our assumption, which predicts new cases to start slowing down from mid-March,” Kiattiphum told reporters.

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Railways' longest tunnel constructed in Kashmir

Mountainous regions are dotted with tough geographical terrain where quality railways are a blessing to remain connected to the mainland. In Kashmir, the rail route owes its complexity to the dangerous rugged geography of the Himalayas. But the engineering marvel of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) has stunned the nation with its extraordinary approach in building its main - T-49 tunnel in an impossible terrain. The last few years witnessed slow progress in the project due to the pandemic but with its expert team today tunnel T-49 has surpassed the 11.2-km long Pir Panjal Tunnel on the Banihal-Qazigund section of the Kashmir Railways Project. At a length of 12.758 km, T-49 is the longest tunnel of Indian Railways, running between Sumber and Arpinchala station of Katra-Banihal section of USBRL mega project. The USBRL project is set to be 272 km long, constructed on access roads connecting 147,000 people in 73 villages; out of which 161 km that connects 29 villages, has already been commissioned and is in operation. The course includes numerous bridges, viaducts, and tunnels. The young Himalayas are geologically unpredictable. T-49 has two burrows for safety -- the main tunnel and an escape tunnel. In line with international standards, the escape tunnel runs parallel to the main tunnel, connected by cross passages every 375 metres to allow for rescue and restoration work. It uses the new Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM), which is a novel approach to the "drill and blast" technique in the teetering Shivalik Hills. Its cross-section profile is designed to give it a horseshoe appearance and built to accommodate a speed of 100 km per hour. The North gateway of the tunnel is located near Arpinchala village of Ramban district situated in Mahu-Mangat Valley at an altitude of 1,600 m. The south gateway of Tunnel T-49 is located in the quaint Sumber village, 45 km from the district headquarters Ramban in Jammu and Kashmir at an altitude of 1400 m. Though obstacles were many - shear zones, perched aquifer, highly jointed rock mass, high ingress of water, etc., the engineers successfully won them over. The local population also earned employment in the construction work. The track's alignment was the biggest engineering challenge ever faced; only next to Tibet's Qingzang Railway, permafrost at 5,000 m above sea level. To add to the list of achievements, USBLR has credited itself with a 1,315 metrelong bridge, 359 m above the riverbed of the Chenab River; and another 657- metre-long bridge over Anji Khad, 186 m above the riverbed. For constructing the bridges Weathering Steel is used to do away with the need for painting. Situated in Reasi district, the bridge over the Chenab River is the world's highest bridge, 30 metres higher than Eiffel Tower! In the Udhampur-Katra section the challenges are very peculiar and not previously encountered anywhere. Indian Railways have fought the issues with steel arches, lattice girder support, and several feet of shotcrete. As bank engines will not be used in the railway, the journey will be quicker. There will be a provision for future doubling on major bridges, and future electrification of the line. At first, the rail line will use diesel locomotives as the region lacks electric bandwidth. The 111-km stretch between the lower Himalaya's Katra-Banihal section is also under progress at a rapid pace. It has 37 bridges of which 20 are complete, and 35 tunnels of which 27 are the main ones, and 8 are escape tunnels. The world's most advanced and modern technologies are being used for the planning and construction of this project. At many instances, new technologies were developed and sometimes existing methods were used in innovative ways in consultation with experts from India and abroad for the execution of the project. India's dream of fully integrating with the Valley is finally tangible with the Kashmir Railway Project ready to join the Indian Railways canvas by 2023. The project is the highest altitude railway network in India - defying gravity on the impossible terrain of the Pir Panjal mountain range. Indian Railways has prepared a National Rail Plan to create a 'Future Ready' Railway system by 2030. From the perspective of tourism, trade and commerce, and the economy in general, the people of J&K will be able to explore novel opportunities for business and employment. The story of Kashmir Railways is sure to go down as the new chapter of the region's glory, development, and prosperity.

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Tourism Ministry formulates strategy to promote medical tourism

In order to create a "robust" framework and synergy amongst the Union Ministries, state governments and private sector for promoting India as a "medical and wellness" tourism destination, the Tourism Ministry has formulated a National Strategy and Roadmap for Medical and Wellness Tourism. The Ministry has also constituted a National Medical and Wellness Tourism Board with Tourism Minister as its Chairman. Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy in a written reply in Lok Sabha on Monday informed the House that as part of its on-going activities, Tourism Ministry releases global print, electronic and online media campaigns under the 'Incredible India' brand-line to promote various tourism destinations and products of the country. 'Medical Visa' has been introduced, which can be given for specific purpose to foreign travellers coming to India for medical treatment. 'E- Medical Visa' and 'E-Medical Attendant Visa' have also been introduced for 156 countries, the Minister said. Reddy noted that the ministry also provides financial assistance under Market Development Assistance Scheme to Medical Tourism Service Providers accredited by National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) for participation in Medical Tourism Fairs and other programmes.

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