News

Delhi Metro Launches Bike Taxi Service, Adds Women Drivers for Female Commuters

Many Delhites depend on the Delhi Metro for their daily commute to work, college etc. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has launched a new bike taxi ride facility for all Delhi metro passengers. This latest feature was formally launched by Dr Vikas Kumar, Managing Director, DMRC on November 11, 2024, DMRC announced on their official X handle. This bike taxi service optimises rider routes and ensures shorter, more efficient travel time. The service can be booked from Delhi Metro's official mobile app, DMRC Momentum (Delhi Sarthi 2.0). The Bike taxi service is presently available from 12 Metro stations - Dwarka Sec-21, Dwarka Sec-10, Dwarka Sec-14, Dwarka Mor, Janakpuri West, Uttam Nagar East, Rajouri Garden, Subhash Nagar, Kirti Nagar, Karol Bagh, Millennium City Centre Gurugram and Palam. The bike taxi drivers are kept within a specified radius, ensuring reduced travel time. People can avail of two types of bike taxis-RYDR for all commuters and SHE RYDS for women, by women. 'SHE RYDS includes trained and verified women-driven bike taxis to provide a secure commute for female passengers. It empowers women to travel independently at their convenience and safely to their destination. It also offers economic opportunities for women drivers. Electric bikes are used under this service to reduce carbon footprint. The service includes real-time GPS tracking and ride monitoring. The bike taxi is affordable. It has a minimum charge of ₹ 10, followed by ₹ 10 per km for the first 2 km, and ₹ 8 per km after that.

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Pompeii Limits Daily Visitors to Combat Overtourism

As per the latest news reports, starting November 15, Pompeii Archaeological Park is all set to put a limit into the footfall of visitors, with a daily cap of 20,000 tickets to control crowd sizes. It will start to schedule tickets to control the number of visitors during the peak time. Tickets will also be available in timed slots to help manage the crowd. The park is taking this action in an effort to safeguard the historical integrity of the UNESCO World Heritage site and prevent overtourism. With over 4 million visitors this summer exploring the ancient ruins of the Roman city famously buried by Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D., Pompeii saw record-breaking numbers of visitors. Park director Gabriel Zuchtriegel stressed that restricting visitors will help prevent potential harm to both the site and visitors. The park is introducing the "Greater Pompeii" project, which includes free shuttle services to other ancient sites like Stabia, Torre Annunziata, and Boscoreale, in addition to ticket restrictions. The intention is to lessen the strain on the main site by enticing tourists to explore these lesser-known but culturally interesting locations surrounding Pompeii. Zuchtriegel claims that by moving away from mass tourism and promoting a slower pace that honours the local environment and cultural history, these actions seek to provide visitors with a more pleasurable and sustainable travel experience. After the pandemic, the number of visitors to well-known locations has not only reached pre-2019 levels but has also surpassed them in some locations, placing a burden on ecosystems and local resources. The park's new regulations are a component of a larger plan to strike a balance between conservation and tourism.The park's director added that the new daily cap will prevent the number of visitors from increasing further, as the site presently receives an average of 15,000 to 20,000 visitors every day. According to Zuchtriegel, the goal of this project is to promote sustainable tourism while giving tourists the opportunity to enjoy the area's rich cultural and historical assets outside of the main archaeological site.

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Gurugram to Greater Noida in record time

In a recent update, the National Capital Region (NCR) is all set for a major change in its transport infrastructure with the introduction of the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS). This semi-high-speed rail corridor will connect key urban centers, stretching from Rajiv Chowk in Gurugram to Noida Sector-142 and Surajpur in Greater Noida. The main stop would be at Bata Chowk in Faridabad. Spanning 60 km, the RRTS aims to significantly reduce travel time, traffic congestion, and air pollution in the region. The project will feature eight intermediate stations along its route, with an estimated total cost of around INR 15,000 crore. Once operational, it is expected to provide a fast and efficient alternative to the congested road networks of NCR, offering a reliable mode of transport for thousands of commuters daily. In a recent meeting in Delhi, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Nayab Singh Saini discussed plans to further expand the metro network and develop the RRTS corridor. They explored proposals to extend the RRTS line to connect Sarai Kale Khan to Karnal, enhancing connectivity between Delhi and Haryana. Another important proposal is to extend the metro line from Gurugram to AIIMS in Badsa, improving access to key medical institutions. In addition to these developments, there is an ongoing assessment to extend the RRTS network to key locations around Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), including Gurugram, Faridabad, and Jewar Airport. The plan envisions two new lines, one starting from Palam Vihar in Gurugram, to further streamline travel within the NCR and beyond.

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UP Tourism Highlights Spiritual and Cultural Heritage at London’s World Travel Market

In display of its spiritual, cultural, and natural heritage, Uttar Pradesh Tourism organized a roadshow on the final day of the World Travel Market (WTM) in London. Visitors from the UK and around the globe were introduced to the spiritual richness of Ayodhya, Kashi, and Mathura, as well as the grand upcoming Maha Kumbh pilgrimage in Prayagraj. Uttar Pradesh’s Minister for Tourism and Culture, Jaiveer Singh, highlighted the significance of this global platform for promoting the state’s diverse attractions. The WTM London attracts thousands of visitors from around the world. This year, Uttar Pradesh leveraged this premier event to promote its religious, spiritual, and scenic destinations on a global scale. Engaging displays and interactive sessions helped introduce attendees to the rich culture and religious landmarks of Uttar Pradesh. The response was overwhelmingly positive, with numerous visitors expressing interest in exploring these destinations. On November 7, the final day of WTM, the visitors learned about Uttar Pradesh’s connection to Lord Rama and Krishna, the sacred city of Kashi on the banks of the Ganga, and its array of national parks and tiger reserves. The showcase emphasized that Uttar Pradesh offers not only spiritual journeys but also diverse natural beauty. Started on November 5, the three-day World Travel Market saw the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department set up a 60-square-meter booth showcasing Ayodhya, Kashi, Maha Kumbh, Sarnath, Kushinagar, and other prominent sites across the state.

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Tata Group Airline To Merge With Air India

Full-service carrier Vistara is set to fly its final flight on Monday, Nov. 11. The airline, launched over nine years back in January 2015, was started as a joint venture between the Tata Group and Singapore Airlines. From Nov. 12, Vistara's operations will be integrated with Air India, forming a unified service under the Air India brand. his transition follows the acquisition of Air India by the Tata Group in 2022. The merger of Vistara with Air India is part of the Tata Group’s strategic plan to consolidate its airline operations under the unified Air India brand. In Aug., the Indian government approved Singapore Airlines' foreign direct investment as part of the Vistara-Air India merger, enabling the Tata Group to proceed with the integration. Following the Vistara-Air India merger, Singapore Airlines will hold a 25.1% stake in Air India. This contrasts with the airline company’s 49% stake in Vistara when it was started in 2015 as a joint venture. Vistara had stopped booking any new flights under its name from Sept. 3. Passengers were allowed to book tickets for journeys till Nov. 11. Tickets of passengers who had booked flights for travel beyond Nov. 12 will be transferred to Air India flights.

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New 24-km Faridabad Section of Delhi-Mumbai Expressway Opens

A newly completed 24-kilometer section of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway has opened to the public in Faridabad, Haryana, marking a major milestone in improving road connectivity. Although the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has not yet scheduled an official inauguration, the stretch has been open to traffic for about a month. Built at a cost of ₹1,729 crore, this section runs from Mithapur (Jaitpur Pushta) on the Delhi border to Kelly village in Ballabhgarh, significantly easing congestion on the roads around Faridabad. The newly opened expressway aims to alleviate pressure on NH-19, which frequently faces heavy traffic, and is expected to handle over 50,000 vehicles daily. This will help reduce congestion on city roads and improve the overall traffic flow. The expressway also connects to the Delhi-Agra Highway (NH-19), making travel to and from Faridabad smoother. While the expressway's path begins at the DND Flyway in New Delhi, the stretch within the city is still under construction and is not expected to open anytime soon. Designed to accommodate high traffic volumes, this section features a 12-lane layout, with a six-lane main carriageway and three-lane service roads on either side, providing ample space for vehicles. These service roads ensure better access and smoother traffic movement, helping to avoid bottlenecks. This segment is part of Package Three of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, which stretches from Sectors 62-65 in Faridabad to a junction near the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal section of the Western Peripheral Expressway, which opened in May 2023. The new section of the expressway includes six entry and exit points, making it accessible for both local commuters and long-distance travelers. The first toll collection point is located in Kiranj village, about 25 kilometers from Kelly, although the final toll rates are still under discussion. The NHAI is expected to announce the toll charges soon as they finalise operational details.

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