News

Nagpur introduces 250 E-buses to reduce air pollution

Nagpur, the "Orange City" of India, is set to become cleaner and greener by launching 250 electric buses. The city has committed to embrace a better future with these buses which are aimed at reducing air pollution. The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has approved this initiative to enhance the city’s public transport system by making it more efficient, environmentally friendly, and reliable. As of now, Nagpur's roads are served by a fleet of 437 buses that operate within the city and its suburbs. Following a recommendation by Nitin Gadkari, the Union Minister for Transport, the city conducted successful trials of electric buses. With the trials proving effective, the NMC is now set to deploy 250 new e-buses, marking a significant step towards a cleaner, more sustainable transportation network. Each of these e-buses is designed to accommodate 41 seated passengers and 24 standing commuters. This means that around 16,000 passengers will be able to enjoy a more comfortable and eco-friendly journey daily. Collectively, these buses are expected to transport over 100,000 commuters each day, helping to reduce the number of private vehicles on the road and alleviate traffic congestion. The introduction of e-buses in Nagpur is expected to yield multiple positive impacts on the city:

Read more

Railways taps AI to improve seat availability on high demand routes

The Indian Railways is going big on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to better its systems and processes. After installing Al-enabled cameras for checking linen and food, it has deployed an Al model to help in Increasing the occupancy of trains. "One Al model we used for checking the occupancy of trains had led to over 30 per cent increase in the rate of confirmed tickets," railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told ET. He explained that the reservation chart is drawn four hours before a train's departure. After that, the Al model can optimise seats as it is able to tell x number of seats will be vacant after say two stations. So, the allocation of seats to those in the waiting list can be accordingly. "The Al model is able to study data and predict availability of seats, leading to greater confirmations, Vaishnaw said. Traditionally, the Railway Board allocates seats per station to ensure that at least some passengers get accommodated from each stop of a train. Using Al, the railways now identifies stations where demand is higher and rejigs this allocation

Read more

World's shortest commercial flight takes seconds to fly between Scotland islands

There are usually hour-long flights that we know of. However, there is a Scottish flight that just takes one and a half minutes to reach the destination. The flight is operated by Loganair airlines and connects two islands in Scotland: Orkney islands of Westray and Papa Westray; making it the shortest commercial flight in the world. A video was recently shared on Instagram by 'Aviation heaven' where an animated video shows the journey of the flight and how it takes record breaking flight time of one minute, 14 seconds. If the weather conditions are good, the flight can take only 47 seconds. The route serves the local community including the transportation of student-workers, doctors and residents between the two islands, as per the information shared in the video. Additionally, it attracts many tourists who want to experience the world's shortest flight and the ticket prices range between Rs 1,823 to Rs 2,734. However, the fare for local residents may be lower. Read more at: https://www.deccanherald.com/world/be-there-in-a-minute-worlds-shortest-commercial-flight-takes-seconds-to-fly-between-scotland-islands-3236132

Read more

OCI Card Holders: How it offers flexibility to foreign nationals of Indian origin

In September, following concerns from Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card holders about being reclassified as 'foreigners,' the Ministry of External Affairs clarified that no changes had been made to OCI regulations. Yet, many people had confusion with regard to the rights and privileges of OCI cardholders, and what flexibility it offers to the foreign nationals of Indian origin. Read on to find out all the details. Introduced in 2005, the OCI card allows individuals of Indian origin—who were citizens of India on or after January 26, 1950—to register themselves as Overseas Citizens of India, which also offer them certain privileges. This proposal was initially proposed by Home Minister LK Advani, which aimed to create a form of dual citizenship for the Indian diaspora. Foreign nationals with Indian origin, who hold an OCI card are granted a lifetime, multiple-entry visa to India, which means they no longer require to repeatedly go through the process of seeking a visa to enter India. Further, no matter how long they have been in the country, they are exempt from registering with the local police. If reports are to go by, there are currently more than 4.5 million OCI cardholders registered globally, with a large number residing in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada.

Read more

U.S. tops list of international visitors to India for Diwali festivities

The United States ranks as the top source of international travelers visiting India for the Diwali celebrations. The United States is the leading country of origin for international travelers arriving in India for Diwali, followed by the UK, Singapore, Malaysia, and Japan, according to CNBC-TV18. Top destinations for these travelers include New Delhi, Goa, and Mumbai. Agoda reported a 17% increase in accommodation searches for Diwali, highlighting the growing international interest. Domestic travel also saw a significant increase, with a 23% rise in accommodation searches. Agoda's Krishna Rathi noted the cultural and exploration opportunities in New Delhi and Goa during Diwali.

Read more

Grand Egyptian Museum’s long-awaited trial run starts

The Grand Egyptian Museum will open 12 halls with exhibits about ancient Egypt in its main galleries starting this week in a trial run ahead of the still-unannounced official opening, officials said Tuesday The museum, a mega-project near the famed Giza Pyramids which has cost well over $1 billion so far, will open the halls for 4,000 visitors per day starting Wednesday, said Al-Tayeb Abbas, assistant to the minister of antiquities. The museum has been under construction for more than a decade, and an overall opening date has not yet been set, having been repeatedly delayed for various reasons, including the Covid-19 pandemic. Some sections have been open since 2022 for limited tours. More than 100,000 artifacts of Egypt’s ancient treasures will be displayed in the world’s largest archaeological museum, according to the Egyptian state information website. Abbas told the AP that the trial run starting Wednesday would help prepare for the full opening by identifying operational issues, including which parts of the museum might become overcrowded.

Read more