News

Vande Bharat to undergo trials at 160 kmph on Mum-Ahm route to cut travel time

In February, the WR had approached the CRS, which is part of the Ministry of Aviation, for the last leg of permission. According to WR officials, they have completed engineering works on this route along with installing 792 route km of safety barriers and now will retrofit the 16-car Vande Bharat for a trial run. Mumbai: The Western Railway (WR) has received a green light from the Commissioner of Railway Safety (CRS) to test faster Vande Bharat Express trains, slashing travel time between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. These trains, known for their speed and efficiency, will undergo trial runs at a maximum speed of 160 kilometres per hour (kmph), up from the current 130 kmph. If successful, passengers can expect to save around 45 minutes on their journeys in the Mumbai and Ahmedabad route which takes around 5 hours, and 25 minutes. Last week, the WR authorities carried out an important work at Boisar which was to augment the system to effectively allow running trains at the speed of 160 kmph under ‘Mission Raftaar’ project. This will be among the first routes starting from Mumbai where Vande Bharat will operate as semi high-speed trains. In February, the WR had approached the CRS, which is part of the Ministry of Aviation, for the last leg of permission. According to WR officials, they have completed engineering works on this route along with installing 792 route km of safety barriers and now will retrofit the 16-car Vande Bharat for a trial run. “All the necessary works for running trains at 160 kmph have been completed on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor. It will be an achievement that an Indian-made Vande Bharat train will run on trial anytime this month,” said a WR official.

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Travel warning issued for Aussies in Bali as end of Ramadan celebrations begins

Australians currently in Bali or planning a visit soon should allow for more travel time as Ramadan finishes in Indonesia. Most of Bali’s population is Muslim and the Eid al-Fitr holiday is a big celebration across the island. The huge festival means roads are expected to be busy, so tourists have been warned to allow for plenty of time to travel around the island. Smarttraveller Australia has warned tourists to “plan for significant delays”. “We’ve reviewed our advice for Indonesia and continue to advise exercise a high degree of caution,” the website says. -ADVERTISEMENT- “The Idul Fitri holiday period will take place between 10–22 April. Many people will travel throughout the country, including the greater Jakarta area. “This may impact traffic and public transport, including airports, seaports, highways, toll roads, train and bus stations. Airports are expected to be busy. Plan your travel carefully and prepare for significant delays.” The national holiday period — also known as Lebaran — is celebrated between April 9 and April 15, along with the weekends on either side. The holiday celebrates the end of Ramadan, with a variety of dining experiences available at many of Bali’s popular restaurants. Ramadan involves a month of fasting, prayer, reflection and community observed by Muslims worldwide. According to The Bali Sun, during the festival, the Bali airport is set to serve 473,000 domestic passengers and 538,000 international passengers. General manager of I Gusti Ngurah Rai International airport Handy Heryudhitiawan said the airport was ready to welcome crowds of Eid al-Fitr travellers. “We’ve also recorded requests for extra flights for 216 schedules consisting of 108 more arrival schedules and 108 departure schooled with the airlines Indonesia Air Asia, Citilink Indonesia, Lion Air, Super Air, Jet, and Wings Air,” he said.

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6 common reasons why most visas are rejected

Applying for a visa can be a nerve-wracking process, and unfortunately, many applicants even face rejection for various reasons. Understanding certain common mistakes can help you avoid them and increase your chances of a successful visa application. Here are six common reasons why most visas are rejected: Incomplete application One of the most frequent reasons for visa rejection is an incomplete application. This could include missing documents, unanswered questions, or failure to provide necessary information. It's crucial to carefully read and follow the visa application instructions to ensure all required documents and details are included. Incomplete travel details Insufficient travel details, such as vague itineraries or unclear plans, can raise red flags during the visa application process. Immigration officers need to know where you'll be staying, how long you'll be there, and your intended activities. Providing detailed and accurate travel plans can help demonstrate your purpose of visit and increase your chances of approval. Rule violations It might surprise you that many visa rejections occur due to applicants failing to adhere to the rules and regulations set by the immigration authorities. This could include providing false information, attempting to manipulate the system, or violating visa policies. Any discrepancies in your application can lead to immediate rejection. Purpose of travel not known Failing to clearly articulate your purpose of travel is another common reason for visa rejection. Whether you're visiting for tourism, business, education, or family reasons, it's essential to provide compelling reasons and supporting documents to justify your trip. Ambiguity or lack of clarity regarding your intentions can lead to doubts about your credibility and result in rejection. Issues with passport Problems with your passport, such as expiration, damage, or lack of blank pages, can also lead to visa rejection. Ensure your passport meets all the requirements specified by the immigration authorities, including validity for the duration of your intended stay and at least two blank pages for visa stamps. Failure to comply with passport regulations can result in immediate refusal. Insufficient funds If you are unable to show or provide proof of adequate financial means to support your trip, you might land in some trouble. Immigration authorities want assurance that you can cover your expenses during your stay and are not likely to overstay or engage in unauthorized employment. Providing bank statements, proof of income, or sponsorship letters can help substantiate your financial stability and increase your chances of visa approval.

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What is this mysterious tide? Millions of blue, alien-like creatures blanketing US beaches

From Oregon to California, masses of alien-like blue creatures are washing up on rocky beaches. These are called Velella velella, small colonies of organisms sporting a sombrero-esque fin atop and tentacles dangling down. If reports are to go by, this spring, millions have been spotted along the US west coast, much to the surprise and delight of beachgoers who eagerly shared footage on social media. Referred to as a ‘blue tide,’ this phenomenon occurs in most springs, though not always with the same abundance. Despite resembling a single organism, Velella, also known as by-the-wind sailors, are actually colonies of creatures from a class called hydrozoa that use the wind for speed. Spending most of their lives in the open ocean, they navigate using tentacles that sting fish larvae or zooplankton, yet pose no threat to humans. While similar to coral in their colonial structure, such encounters on land are rare, notes a doctoral student at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Various theories have been put forward to explain the brilliant blue colour of these creatures. Living at the air-ocean interface offers them few hiding spots from predators like the mola mola ocean sunfish, which consumes Velella. Their colour may aid in camouflaging among waves or serve as protection from UV rays. Living for months and travelling extensively around the Pacific gyre, Velella typically travels down the coast of California to Central America, then across to Japan and back, gliding along the surface akin to kite surfers. Experiencing boom-and-bust cycles during their journey, Velella populations surge when ample food is available, leading to mass strandings on shore, often in spring and sometimes in fall. Despite frequent encounters, Velella remain relatively unstudied in science, partly due to their surface-dwelling nature. Challenges in recreating their oceanic habitat in captivity hinder research efforts, leaving us with less knowledge compared to submersible jellyfish. One current area of study involves the relationship between Velella and ocean temperatures. Research by marine biologist Julia Parrish suggests warmer winters may contribute to increased mass strandings, possibly due to milder seas aiding colony survival. However, further investigation is required to confirm these hypotheses, requiring extensive studies of the organisms in their natural habitat.

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Spain announces to scrap ‘Golden Visa’ program

As per the latest development, Spain is all set to do away with its popular ‘golden visa’ program. For your information, it’s the scheme that helped foreign investors gain residency by investing €500,000 in property. This announcement was made by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday. The decision comes as Spain aims to tackle the rampant speculation plaguing many of its cities. During a visit near Seville, Sanchez declared, "We will eliminate the so-called golden visa program, which grants residency in exchange for a €500,000 property investment." The move, slated for approval at Tuesday's cabinet meeting, aims to combat speculative property investments hindering access to housing for numerous young individuals and families. Introduced in 2013 during economic struggles to attract foreign capital, the scheme grants non-EU investors a three-year work and residency permit in return for investing at least €500,000 in property or a Spanish company. Sanchez highlighted that currently, a vast majority of these visas are linked to property investments, heavily concentrated in major cities like Barcelona, Madrid, Malaga, Alicante, Valencia, and the Balearic Islands. The Prime Minister further emphasised the intense housing market pressures in these regions, making it exceedingly challenging for residents who live, work, and contribute taxes to find adequate housing. If reports are to go by, in response to escalating housing crises, several southern European countries have also gone ahead to either tighten rules or discontinue similar visa schemes that were established during the financial crisis. Portugal terminated its golden visa program in February 2023, which had significantly inflated housing prices, while Greece recently heightened regulations, increasing the required investment to as much as €800,000. Reports add that criticism surrounding such visa programs has grown, with many denouncing them as a ‘European disgrace,’ arguing that residency permits should not be granted solely based on wealth. In 2019, Brussels urged member states to crack down on these schemes, warning of their potential to facilitate corruption and money laundering, particularly benefiting affluent Chinese and Russian investors. The move to abolish Spain's golden visa program reflects a broader European effort to address the social and economic ramifications of such schemes.

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Vistara trims operations, airfares surge! Here are some of the routes seeing higher fares amid travel season

The aviation industry is about to meet with the peak summer travel season and the ticket prices have already started hitting the higher end. This comes as Vistara has announced to scale down its operations to 25-30 flights per day, making up 10% of its operational capacity. This too is pushing the ticket prices higher and higher. According to an Indian Express report, the travel industry insiders have said that fares on major routes like Delhi-Goa, Delhi-Kochi, Delhi-Jammu, and Delhi-Srinagar have increased by around 20-25%. Increasing airfares amid travel season Seeing the decision taken by Vistara and its effect on the ticket prices, Yatra Online’s Bharatt Malik said there has been a “significant surge” in the ticket prices on some of the major domestic routes where Vistara has a strong foothold. He said, “We have observed a significant surge in fares, with prices skyrocketing by approximately 20-25 per cent across key routes such as Delhi-Goa, Delhi-Kochi, Delhi-Jammu, and Delhi-Srinagar.” According to Bharatt Malik, Senior Vice President, Air and Hotel Business at Yatra Online, a “significant surge” has been witnessed in airfares on some of the major domestic routes where the airline has a strong presence. “We have observed a significant surge in fares, with prices skyrocketing by approximately 20-25 per cent across key routes such as Delhi-Goa, Delhi-Kochi, Delhi-Jammu, and Delhi-Srinagar,” Malik said. According to an executive from another travel agency, although the Vistara flight cancellations might only be a temporary occurrence lasting a few months, any brief disruption contributes to the strain on the capacity-limited Indian aviation system, which has been striving to meet the surge in travel demand since the conclusion of the Covid-19 pandemic. In such circumstances, it’s inevitable that airfares will rise. They said that over 70 aircraft of IndiGo are grounded due to engine-related issues and supply chain problems along with 50 Go First planes sitting idle. “There are visible capacity constraints and the airlines seem helpless at this stage. On the other hand, demand growth is not letting up, leading to a skewed demand-supply scenario,” they added. What did Vistara say about scaling down its operations? Releasing a statement on Sunday, Vistara said, “We are carefully scaling back our operations by around 25-30 flights per day, i.e. roughly 10% of the capacity we were operating.” The airline added that the reduction will take its operations to the level it had at the end of February 2024. This will give it “much-needed resilience and buffer in the rosters”, the airline added. “In line with what we had said earlier, with this all the changes for the month of April 2024 have been done and the situation has already gotten better with our on-time performance improving for the last few days. Looking ahead, we are hopeful of stable operations for the rest of the month and beyond,” it further said.

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