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PM Modi to unveil ‘Statue of Equality’ in Hyderabad on February 5

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil the ‘Statue of Equality’ today in Hyderabad. The 216 ft tall statue will commemorate the 11th century Bhakti saint Sri Ramanujacharya, who was a philosopher, theologian and social reformer. He was the one who promoted the idea of equality for all, including faith, caste and creed. More about the grand statue Made of panchaloha, which is an amalgam of five metals, namely silver, gold, copper, brass, and zync, this statue is one of the tallest metallic statues in the world. The base of the statue is 54 ft high and is named Bhadra Vedi. Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swami of Sri Ramanujacharya Ashram is behind the statue’s conceptualisation. There are different floors devoted to a vedic digital library and research centre. There are ancient Indian texts, a theatre and an educational gallery too where one can get detailed info on the works of Sri Ramanujacharya, informed the PM office. About the program A 3D presentation mapping on the life journey and teachings of the saint will be showcased during the ceremony today. The PM will also visit the identical recreations of 108 divya desams or ornately carved temples surrounding the statue. The unveiling of the statue is also a part of the ongoing 12-day celebrations of the saint’s 1000th birth anniversary. During his visit, the PM will also inaugurate the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) climate change research facility.

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AirAsia passengers can now pre-book lounge facilities through its website, mobile app

Budget carrier AirAsia India on Friday announced that its passengers can now pre-book lounge facilities on its website and mobile app. The airline offers these services across 13 airports including at its all four hubs, AirAsia India said in a statement. The services are available at Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Kochi, Delhi, Goa, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata, Mumbai, Pune and Ranchi, it said. Airport lounge services can be purchased at a nominal fee, starting at Rs 800, while making a flight booking or even post-booking, AirAsia India said. "Extending easy access to airport lounges and offering these facilities to our guests enhances and ensures a more holistic and pleasurable travel experience. As an innovative, digital-first brand, we have taken every opportunity to differentiate our service experience with distinctive offerings," said Siddhartha Butalia, Chief Marketing Officer, AirAsia India. The airport lounge services allow passengers avail access to amenities like high speed Wi-Fi, hot food and beverages, snacks, newspapers and magazines, charging stations for laptops and mobiles, wash and change facilities, business centre facilities and lounge bars, the airline said.

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Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway to Get Korean Intelligent Transportation Tech for Safe Travel

The government has announced that the Republic of Korea will be sharing its technology with India to monitor and manage the upcoming Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway. The 701-km Expressway is going to be the longest in India and the first time where India is going to implement the Intelligent Transportation System for the safety of motorists and to prevent accidents. The journey from Mumbai to Nagpur is all set to become smooth with the construction of 701-long Samruddhi Expressway, touted as the ‘fastest’ expressway in India. The high-speed corridor that is being constructed at a cost of Rs 5,500 crore is designed for a top speed of 150 km. However, to experience the thrill of this ‘fastest’ Indian expressway, car owners will have to spend over Rs 1,212 on a one-way trip. A Hindustan Times report citing Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation’s joint managing director Chandrakant Pulkundwar said that the toll for lightweight vehicles (LWV) or cars on this Samruddhi Expressway will be Rs 1,212. It said that toll will be charged on km basis. Citing example, HT said that for a trip between Mumbai or Nashik and Aurangabad, cars will be charged Rs 1.73 per km. The Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway is likely to have 26 toll booths, the tender for which was floated by MSRDC recently. According to HT, for light commercial vehicle, light goods vehicle or mini bus, the one-way toll between Mumbai and Nagpur will be Rs 2.79 per km, which will come upto Rs 1,955. And for bus or truck (two axle), Rs 5.85 per km will be charged, that will come upto appoximately Rs 4,100. Once fully functional, the travel time between Nagpur and Mumbai will be reduced to 6-7 hours from 15 hours. The government is also reportedly planning to set up a 250 Mw solar plant along the corridor and will also plant trees in addition to the existing greenery.

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Kerala eases quarantine rules for international passengers

Non-resident Indians (NRIs) and other international passengers need to undergo quarantine and tests only if they exhibit symptoms, a circular issued by the state department read. Earlier, as advised by the Indian Federal Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, a seven-day home quarantine was made mandatory for all travellers, including those from the UAE, to Kerala. Over the past week, the rules were further relaxed for short-term travellers. However, the revised list of regulations, issued on February 4, supersedes all previous guidelines. The state has replaced the mandatory quarantine with an ‘advisable’ status. “A home quarantine is advisable for international travellers. They must continue self-monitoring for seven days from the arrival date and, if symptoms develop, shall undergo testing,” the State said. The Covid-19 rapid test on the eighth day after arrival has also been made “advisable”. “Any international traveller, irrespective of the duration of stay in Kerala, will undergo symptom surveillance. If symptomatic, the passenger will undertake RTPCR tests at cost. Further actions will be taken as per results,” said the new circular. Random testing of two per cent of international travellers in the flight will be done free of cost as well, stated the circular.

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Himachal: Heavy snowfall in Shimla; roads blocked. Check amazing pics, videos

The hilly areas of Himachal Pradesh received a fresh spell of snowfall on Friday, with tourists places like Manali and Shimla Mall roads, and Ridge becoming playgrounds for eager and happy tourists. In Himachal, traffic going via rural Shimla has been blocked due to heavy snowfall since yesterday night. Even low-lying areas like Solan and Kasauli also received their first light spell of snowfall. The state authorities have issued yellow alerts in many parts experiencing continuous snowfall, and most of the roads in Shimla city and upper areas of the district are closed for all kinds of vehicular traffic, Shimla Police said via a tweet. “It is brought to the knowledge of general public that in various places of Himachal Pradesh viz Chail, Barog, Shimla, Kufri Narkanda, Mashobra and in various parts of Chopal, Rohru, Kullu, Manali, Mandi and Chamba, snowfall is being reported. Pls (please) drive cautiously," HP traffic and railway police said. The Shimla Deputy Commissioner said via a Facebook post that tourist places like roads connecting Kurfi, Fagu, Narkanada, Khada Patthar, Chaupal Kupvi and Khidki have been blocked due to heavy snowfall. "We have put in place adequate machines to remove snow from the road, though constant snowfall is creating hurdles," the DC office said, adding that it's continuously snowing in Shimla city, causing traffic snarls and blocking many roads. "We request people not to venture out unless it's necessary," the DC office statement said.

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Karnataka govt eases Covid curbs for gyms, cinema halls. Details here

As the Covid-19 cases in Karnataka show a consistent declining trend, the Karnataka government on Friday decided to ease restrictions further for gyms, swimming pools and cinema halls. According to a new order, all cinema halls, theatres, multiplexes, rangamandiras and auditoriums have been allowed to function at 100% capacity in strict compliance with all Covid safety protocols. In addition to this, gyms, yoga centres and swimming pools can also admit people at 100% of the seating capacity from now. The order directed BBMP, police commissioners and heads of departments to ensure that the prescribed seating capacity is not exceeded in any of the establishments. Also, only those persons who are fully vaccinated with both doses and asymptomatic will be allowed entry. All persons will be required to compulsorily wear an N95 mask on the premises, which should be sanitised regularly. In the case of gyms and yoga centres, the organisers are directed to conduct the activities outdoor whenever possible. The state government had last week lifted the night curfew and prior to that, also withdrawn weekend restrictions. It also allowed pubs, bars, restaurants, and hotels to remain open completely and allow 100% occupancy. Regular offline classes had begun for students of standard 1 to 9 from 31 January and offices returned to functioning at 100% capacity.

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