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In a first, you can travel to Bhutan from India via railway

The India Government has allotted ₹120 Billion for the extensive expansion of railway infrastructure in the north eastern region. This move will facilitate the much awaited Bhutan-India railway. The fully funded Indian government’s estimated ₹10 billion project of 57.5-kilometre railway line will connect Kokrajhar in Assam to Gelephu in Sarpang, Bhutan. The project is set to be completed by 2026. Just a month ago, India’s External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, hinted at the ongoing discussions between India and Bhutan regarding this transformative railway connection. Speaking to Indian media, he stated, “We are currently in negotiations for a railway link between Bhutan and Assam. Bhutan is keen to open more avenues for tourism, and this endeavour promises to benet Assam signicantly. The proposed railway link between Gelephu and Kokrajhar, situated on the Assam border, could be a game-changer, promoting both trade and tourism. " The railway project can act as a breakthrough in terms of facilitating the export of goods, enabling cultural exchange, and strengthening bilateral ties between the two nations. The project gained momentum during the Bhutanese PM’s rst visit to India in 2018. The commencement of the Gelephu-Kokrajhar rail link construction is expected to pave the way for more railway projects in the southern and eastern regions of both nations, including areas like Samtse, Phuentsholing, Nganglam, and Samdrupjongkhar. Notably, Bhutan and India formalized their commitment to this transformative vision back in 2005 when they signed a Memorandum of Understanding, solidifying their shared aspiration to link the bordering towns of the two nations through a railway network. As the wheels of progress turn, this Bhutan-India railway link inches closer to becoming a reality, heralding a new era of connectivity and cooperation. India shares a 605 kilometres (376 mi) border with Bhutan and is its largest trading partner, accounting for 98 percent of its exports and 90 percent of its imports.

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G20 Summit: Here’s How The Global Meeting Will Bolster India’s Travel Sector

2023 marks the first time in the history of the G20 Summit that India is hosting this global event. Some major developments have been made by different authorities for the 18th Heads of State and Government Summit of the Group of 20 in New Delhi. Many world leaders and delegates are right now in the national capital as they are attending the second day of the global meeting. Heads Of States Of Many Countries Visited To India For The G20 Summit Prime Minister Narendra Modi is sharing many glimpses and snippets of the meeting on his official social media platforms. A lot of insightful events and discussions are taking place at different times on these 2 days. India is going to experience a lot of things for being the host of the gathering. Be it a boost in the travel sector or other significant changes, the representation of the country on such a remarkable global level is surely going to be a major advantage. The G20 Summit perfectly represents India’s strength to conduct such an exquisite meeting. The international event has taken India to a spectacular global level leading to global visibility and the entire world’s eyes are currently on the country, the summit, and the discussions. Delegates and guests from the largest economies are currently in our country and it is surely boosting different sectors here. The travel industry of India is all set to witness some dynamic changes. Here the change is signifying an increase in visitors from all around leading to a great boost to the sector. The rise in tourist footfall is directly signalling the massive bolster of the hospitality sector. Many diplomats and business leaders are likely to visit the country, according to a report by News 18. Not for just work or business purposes, a huge influx can be seen among foreign travellers as well. India is currently getting attention from the entire world and all these are portraying the country’s positive sides and promoting as well. Unfortunately, a huge influx of visitors has some disadvantages as well. More and more tourists can increase the demand to a huge extent. A surge in demand always leads to a major spike in fares of various services. During the summit, there are lots of travel restrictions in action. And all these steps can hamper the plans of visitors. A primary focus is now on strengthening security and this can lead to a time-consuming waiting period.

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G20 Summit: Delhi Metro Urges Commuters To Use Magenta Line To Travel To Airport

Ahead of the G20 Summit, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on Friday requested the commuters to use Magenta Line for reaching to Terminal 1 of Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) Airport. DMRC in its notification also said that feeder buses between Delhi Aerocity Station of Airport Line and Terminal 1 will be unavailable from September 8 to 10. "To reach Terminal 1 of IGI Airport, commuters are requested to use Magenta Line and get down at Terminal 1-IGI Airport Metro Station. Feeder Buses between Delhi Aerocity Station of Airport Line and Terminal 1 will be unavailable from 8th to 10th September," DMRC said in a statement. India is all set to host the G20 Summit in New Delhi from September 9-10.

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Curb your enthusiasm: Commuters struggle in Delhi

Motorists complained of inconvenience throughout Friday due to the restrictions imposed by police for the G20 summit. In many places, the cops and commuters got into an argument over movement in central Delhi. Many people, however, shunned the roads on Thursday and chose to use Delhi Metro for travel. Among the most affected were patients, who claimed it was a struggle to reach New Delhi hospitals. Heena, a central Delhi resident, faced challenges finding a taxi when her sister went into labour, with many drivers declining due to the restrictions. Heena also related how she had difficulty in procuring essential items, even at inflated prices, for the newborn baby, given the closure of most shops in New Delhi. Damodar Paswan, who stood near the OPD at Sucheta Kriplani Hospital, grumbled about the difficulty in finding an auto to reach the hospital for his daughter's operation and how they had to finally opt for Delhi Metro. Honey, a resident of northwest Delhi, however, managed to reach the hospital presenting hospital documents to the cops. While it was a struggle finding autorickshaws, auto driver Sanjay bemoaned the impact the traffic restrictions would have on his income. At Minto Bridge, police were seen diverting autos lacking permits,hospital, recounted taking a three-wheeler from home but being halted by police and being forced to proceed on foot after heated arguments. Vikrant Singh, a 22-year-old security manager at a hospital, categorised as essential services personnel, was stopped despite waving his identification and his efforts to drive on alternative routes were thwarted by widespread blockades. Similarly, a medicine delivery agent recalled the multiple police barricades, where he received varying directions. "I have to deliver medicines to someone's house and it's almost 1-2 hours that I'm on the road navigating the barricades," the exasperated man said. Joni, a chapati supplier en route from Gurgaon to Pragati Maidan, was stopped by police and was given another vehicle to travel in after he clarified that the chapatis were intended for police personnel on G20 duty at various points across the city. Police personnel, including women officers, managed the barricades and traffic flow. They allowed individuals with railway, air tickets or hospital documents to pass and scrutinised the Aadhaar cards of pedestrians. Those who claimed emergencies but failed to provide documentation were refused entry into New Delhi. Connaught Place remained sparsely populated, with only a few vehicles, including ambulances, in motion. A group of 12 labourers were stranded at Rajiv Chowk travelling from Bihar to Rewari.

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Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway To Cut Travel Time To 2 Hours

Nitin Gadkari, the Union Road Transport and Highways Minister, announced on Thursday that the eagerly awaited Bengaluru-Chennai expressway will open to the public ahead of schedule, either by the end of 2023 or at the latest by January of the following year. Initially projected for completion by March 2024, this greenfield project carries a budget of Rs 17,000 crore. This expressway, spanning 285.3 kilometers and featuring four lanes, is expected to significantly reduce travel time between the two major metropolitan areas to just two hours. Gadkari made this announcement during a press briefing at the 75th anniversary celebration of Ashok Leyland in Chennai on Thursday. "I conducted an assessment of the progress of National Highways projects in Chennai today. The Bengaluru-Chennai express highway is on track to commence operations by the end of this year or in January 2024. Therefore, luxury buses and sleeper coaches can be introduced on this route," the minister informed the PTI news agency. Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway: Police On High Alert After Series Of Robberies He also elaborated on the broader infrastructure developments, stating, "We are actively building robust road networks, connecting Delhi to Chennai via access-controlled highways, encompassing Surat, Nasik, Ahmednagar, Kurnool, Chennai, Kanyakumari, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad." Gadkari expressed his satisfaction with the progress of National Highway projects and anticipated the commencement of work on the Chennai PortMaduravoyal Elevated Expressway project in the near future.

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Emirates expands codeshare with United to offer travelers access to nine Mexican destinations

Emirates announces a significant expansion in its codeshare partnership with United, to include nine destinations in Mexico. Emirates customers will now have access to eight new destinations in the country, in addition to Mexico City, which the airline also serves. The expansive codeshare network between Emirates and United currently includes a host of US cities and Mexico becomes the first country outside of the US to be added to the growing network. The codeshare partnership enables customers to enjoy flexibility and choice with smooth connections, allowing passengers flying on Emirates to two points in the US, either Chicago or Houston, to connect onwards to exciting leisure destinations in Mexico. The new Mexican points include Cancun, Cozumel, Monterrey, Puerto Vallarta, Guadalajara, San Jose Del Cabo, Leon/Guanajuato, and Queretaro. Furthermore, the codeshare partnership also provides more flexibility on flight timings, giving Emirates customers flying to Mexico City more options when choosing flights. Depending on travel plans, passengers can opt to fly to the Mexican capital using Emirates daily services from Dubai with a stop in Barcelona, or separately book codeshare flights to Mexico City. The expansion of the codeshare network also enables customers flying from the nine points in Mexico to fly to destinations on the airline’s network, via Chicago or Houston. Tickets to codeshare destinations in Mexico are available via emirates.com and preferred travel agencies, for travel starting on 14 September. The newly-expanded network of Mexican destinations now available to Emirates customers is expected to be popular amongst customers from the Middle East, India and South Africa, to name a few. The most frequented destinations for global travellers embarking from points in Mexico include India, Israel, UAE, South Africa and select points in South East Asia. ADVERTISEMENT With the addition of the new points to Mexico, the enhanced codeshare network now includes 134 destinations, accessible from United’s gateways in the US, while almost 100 additional points across the US, Canada, Central and South America, and the Caribbean are available for customers to choose from on an interline basis. Emirates offers daily services to Houston, onboard its flagship A380 aircraft. Emirates recently introduced its latest offering, Premium Economy, to its services to Houston. The world’s largest international airline also operates seven weekly flights between Dubai and Chicago, utilising its other widebody aircraft – the Boeing 777 – enabling passengers to plan their travel itineraries to global destinations, with seamless connectivity. Travellers with itineraries on Emirates’ flights can plan their entire trip on a single-ticket and take advantage of hassle-free flight benefits including the airline’s baggage allowance, in addition to convenient bag check-through to the final destination.* Furthermore, members of Emirates’ frequent flyer programme, Emirates Skywards, can look forward to earning and redeeming miles on flights of both airlines, if booked on codeshare flights.** * Baggage check-through is valid for travel out of Mexico. International travellers flying to destinations in Mexico on Emirates and United codeshare flights must clear their baggage with US Customs at the first point of entry (Chicago or Houston). **Travel plans with interline flights on Emirates and United are not eligible to earn Skywards Miles.

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