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Puducherry awaits resumption of flights in the UT, spiritual tourism in Karaikal

Lt Governor of Puducherry Tamilisai Soundararajan has urged the Civil Aviation Ministry to restart flight services to the union territory, which were suspended in the wake of the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic. A release from office of Lt Governor on Saturday said the Lt Governor had a telephonic conversation with Union Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia on July 23 making out a strong case to restart flight services to the union territory. She also requested the Minister to initiate steps for runway expansion in Puducherry airport with 1.5 kms airstrip. Recalling that the Prime Minister had made a call for promoting 'BEST Puducherry' by making Puducherry a "business, education, spiritual and tourism hub", the Lt Governor said this vision of Narendra Modi could be realised by establishing air connectivity to Puducherry. "It is imperative to establish air connectivity to Puducherry to realise vision of the Prime Minister for BEST Puducherry" she told the Union Minister, according to the release. She also insisted that the temple town of Karaikal be included under UDAN scheme to promote spiritual tourism. Soundararajan also appealed to the Centre to create new facilities for international flight landing here so that Puducherry and neighbouring Tamil Nadu could be benefitted. Scindia assured the Lt Governor that he would initiate steps to pursue on the points raised during the discussion, it added.

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Gujarat’s Surat, Udhna stations to become world-class Railpolis! Indian Railways invites RFQ

Redevelopment of Railway Stations: Gujarat railway stations to get a world-class makeover! For the transformation of Gujarat’s Surat and Udhna railway stations into ‘Railpolis’ (a mini smart city where one can “Live, Work, Play and Ride”), Indian Railways’ IRSDC has invited Request for Qualification (RFQ). In a release, IRSDC said that the aim of the corporation was to redevelop these railway stations in Gujarat as “integrated Indian Railways’ stations and sub-central business districts in order to transform station estate as well as the surrounding areas utilizing Transit Oriented Development (TOD) and Smart City principles”. The pre-bid meeting is scheduled to be held on 6 August 2021 and the deadline for submissions being 31 August 2021. The renovated Surat station will have provision of central concourse as well as walkways as passenger interchange plaza in order to provide seamless inter-connectivity to railway platforms, proposed metro rail, state and city bus terminals, parking and various other recreational zones. Similarly, Gujarat’s Udhna station will be revamped with better connectivity as well as a circulation plan for hassle-free approach, segregation of departing and arriving passengers as well as a concourse for departing passengers. According to IRSDC, the indicative cost of these two stations’ redevelopment is Rs 1,285 crore over a four-year time frame. o provide world-class amenities to travelers, the railway stations will be redeveloped in line with global standards at par with international airports. SK Lohia, MD and CEO of IRSDC, was quoted in the report saying that the Surat station is envisaged to be revamped into a multi-modal transport hub. IRSDC will carry out the redevelopment of the stations on behalf of a special purpose vehicle (SPV), Surat Integrated Transportation Development Corporation Limited. The SPV- SITCO is a joint venture between Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC), Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation, and Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC).

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In a first for India, sky-diving & cockpit flying for adventurers starts in Neemrana

The Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara trio of Hrithik, Farhan and Abhay will not have to go to faraway Spain if they plan a sequel to the movie with another sky-diving sequence in it. This aero sport is now in India with a desi company, Modair, claiming to start activities like adventure flying, cockpit flying and sky-diving from Neemrana and Aligarh airports to begin with. The company says this has been done to boost domestic tourism in India. “We have introduced a wide range of air adventure tourism services and look forward to come up with many more exciting offerings for adventure travel connoisseurs. All our efforts are intended to help support Indian economy by giving a boost to investment in India’s price competitive tourism sector. Earlier people/enthusiasts used to travel abroad for adventure air tourism, but now they don’t… for (aero sports),” Modair chairman Atul Jain said. The company says it offers adventure air tourism on its private jets. Modair has 15 small aircraft in its fleet, including 5 Cessna-172 that are used for aero sports. For sky-diving, the aircraft goes to a height of 10,000 feet from where parachuters dive from aircraft. “We have ordered 10 P2006T aircraft of Italian firm Tecnam. Our main base is the Aligarh Airport. From Neemrana, we fly west for aero sports towards Bhiwani and Hissar. Neemrana is 60 nautical miles from Delhi Airport (10 nm out of the no aero activity zone of the Delhi airport). We are the first company in India to offer these activities,” said Modair CEO Varun Mittal. Earlier this year, the Centre had planned to allow aerosports like skydiving, gliding, ballooning, hang gliding, paragliding, para-motoring and aero modelling in India. The aviation ministry had begun work on India’s first national aero-sports policy (NASP). “Aerosports create significant opportunities for growth of tourism, employment generation and interest in aviation activities. A growth-oriented NASP may help attract investments in latest aerosports technology, infrastructure and best practices. With a view to prepare the draft NASP 2021, it has been decided to constitute a committee,” said an aviation ministry order issued this January.

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Emirates extends suspension of flights to UAE from India, three other countries

Emirates has extended its suspension of flights from Pakistan and three other South Asian countries to Dubai till July 28 in line with directives from the United Arab Emirates government related to travel conditions in view of COVID-19. In an official statement, the airline said that passengers who had connected through any of the four countries - Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka - in the last 14 days would not be permitted to travel from any point to the UAE. "UAE nationals, holders of UAE Golden Visas and members of diplomatic missions who comply with updated COVID-19 protocols, are exempt and may be accepted for travel," it said. Passengers whose flights had been cancelled or affected by the suspension of certain routes due to pandemic-related restrictions could "hold on to [their] Emirates ticket and when flights resume, get in touch with us or [the] booking office to make new travel plans," the airline said. "Our contact centres are experiencing a greater volume of calls than anticipated. If your call is not related to travel within the next 48 hours, please consider calling back later," the statement added. Dawn reported that the UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) had said in a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) that flights from 14 countries, including Pakistan, would remain suspended until July 21, 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, it said cargo flights as well as business and charter flights, would be exempted from the suspension.

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Odisha govt plans more eco-retreat camps, to start motorcycling fest to revive tourism

The primary task began with collector D Brunda identifying roads leading to the dazzling waterfalls at Kuturi, Putudi, and Katramal to develop those. In a bid to revive tourism, the Odisha government has decided to establish more eco-retreat camps in the state. It has also decided to start a motorcycling festival in the Kandhamal district this winter to attract more tourists, a senior official has revealed. AK Tripathy, principal advisor to the chief minister and chairman of the Western Odisha Development Council (WODC), said that Kandhamal with its waterfalls, forests, and streams will soon be turned into a major tourist spot in Odisha, as reported by news agency PTI. During his visit to the district on Saturday, Tripathy said that the Kandhamal district is full of natural beauty. And, its hill ranges are part of the great Eastern Ghats. An eco-retreat camp that was started at Daringbadi last year received an encouraging response from the tourists. More such eco-retreat camps would be arranged this year, too, at attractive locations,” he told reporters. The primary task began with collector D Brunda identifying roads leading to the dazzling waterfalls at Kuturi, Putudi, and Katramal to develop those. Tripathy directed Vinit Agrawal, Superintendent of Police, to promote the district as a motorcycling circuit and to also link it with Chandaka near Bhubaneswar. He asked Agarwal to develop the circuit in coordination with bikers’ clubs in the state and other parts of the country, and start a motorcycling festival in winter. “There are many excellent roads passing through forests and other beautiful locations which can offer an exciting motorcycling experience to nature lovers,” Tripathy added. He has also asked the district administration to locate a proper destination for establishing a museum to safeguard the art and culture of Kandhamal.

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Karnataka unlocks: From educational institutes to religious places

The Karnataka government in a graded manner is allowing unlocking of many activities in the state as the number of active Covid-19 cases is on the decline. From today onwards, the state government has decided to allow the reopening of religious places while maintaining Covid-19 appropriate behaviour. Educational institutes to open from 21 JUly, 2021 Higher educational institutions like colleges and universities were also given the nod to start from 26 July, 2021. On reopening colleges and universities, the government said only those who have taken at least one dose of vaccine will be allowed to attend their duties and classes. Religious places allowed to reopen: "Temples, Mosque, Churches, Gurudwaras and other religious places are allowed to open and its related activities pertaining to these places from July 25, 2021, with strictly adhering to the COVID-19 behaviour and SOP issued by the concerned department, However, jathres, temple festivals, processions, congregations not allowed," read a state government order. The state also permits amusements parks and similar places to re-open with COVID-19 restriction. "Amusement Parks and similar places permitted to re-open strictly adhering to CO VID appropriate behaviour and following guidelines issued vide circular dated 12.11.2020 by the Health and Family Welfare Department, However, water sports/water-related adventure activities not allowed," it added.

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