With the jump of at least 242 cases from the last year, the <keyword id="6366797" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Delhi-Metro" source="Orion">Delhi Metro</keyword> has reported 3,952 cases of thefts so far this year, according to the <keyword id="19898134" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="delhi-police" source="keywords">Delhi Police</keyword> statistics. Till September 8 last year, at least 3,709 cases of thefts were reported in the <keyword id="19900881" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="delhi" source="keywords">Delhi</keyword> Metro, it stated. Official sources said that these cases of thefts include pick pockets, missing of mobile pones, purse or other valuables items of the passengers and metro staffs. It also includes thefts of the metro properties. According to the data accessed by PTI, out of 3,952 cases, at least 3,898 cases of thefts were registered through e-FIRs and 5,48 of them were solved till September 8 this year. Out of 3,709 cases, at least 3,648 cases of thefts were registered through e-FIRs and 1,471 of them of were solved in the same period in 2023, the data shows. The data further shows at least 81 cases of motor vehicle thefts have been reported till September 8 this year and 72 in the same period last year from the premises of the Delhi metro. At least 56 cases in 2024 and 61 in 2023 have been solved till September 8 this year. At least 11 burglary cases have been reported till September 8 this year. While in 2023, just three cases of burglary were reported in the premises of the Delhi metro. The data also shows at least three cases of snatching were reported and two of them have been solved till September 8 this year. Last year, in the same period, two cases of snatching were reported and both were solved. At least five cases of robbery were reported and four of them have been solved till September 8 in 2024. While only one case of burglary was reported in the same period in 2023. The security of the Delhi Metro is looked after by the Delhi Police and the CISF (Central Industrial Security Force). Besides, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) also deploys its security guard at the platforms to control and manage the crowd during the passengers' movement. For 190 metro stations in Delhi, there are 16 metro police stations where the cases are registered and investigated by the Delhi Police. Apart from the CISF personnel, who conduct frisking and checking, the Delhi Police personnel conduct the patrolling in the metro trains and its premises. According to a senior police officer, the metro police along with the DMRC and CISF takes security measures from time to time to keep the metro safe and secure. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/ather-energy-looks-to-raise-3100-crore-files-ipo-papers-with-sebi/articleshow/113214971.cms">Ather Energy looks to raise ₹3,100 crore, files IPO papers with SEBI</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/iphone-16-pro-iphone-16-pro-max-india-price-specifications/articleshow/113204340.cms">iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max with bigger displays, A18 Pro chipset launched starting at ₹1,19,900</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/apple-iphone-16-iphone-16-plus-price-specs/articleshow/113203568.cms">iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus with A18 chipset launched starting at ₹79,900</a>

Delhi Metro reports 4,000 cases of thefts so far this year

There has been a sharp increase in <keyword id="29409" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cyber-crime" source="Orion">Cyber Crime</keyword> Cases registered both in States as well as 19 Metro cities according to data released by the National Cime Records Bureau (NCRB), Ministry of Home Affairs. The NCRB report shows that in States and Union Territoriess cyber crimes have seen a 24.4 percent increase. "A total of 65,893 cases were registered under Cyber Crimes, showing an increase of 24.4 percent in registration over 2021 (52,974 cases). <keyword id="6625584" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="crime-rate" source="Orion">Crime rate</keyword> under this category increased from 3.9 in 2021 to 4.8 in 2022. During 2022, 64.8 per cent of cyber-crime cases registered were for the motive of fraud (42,710 out of 65,893 cases) followed by Extortion with 5.5 per cent (3,648 cases) and Sexual Exploitation with 5.2 per cent (3,434 cases)" the report states. In the 19 Metro cities also there was a large jump in registered cases related to Cyber Crimes with a 42.7 percent increase seen. "A total of 24,420 cases have been registered under Cyber Crimes, showing an increase of 42.7 per cent over 2021 (17,115 cases). Cyber crime rate has increased from 15.0 in 2021 to 21.4 in 2022. Crime head-wise cases revealed that Computer Related <keyword id="6530772" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="offences" source="Orion">Offences</keyword> (section 66 of IT Act) (12,213 cases) formed the highest number of Cyber Crimes accounting for 50.0 per cent during 2022" the report states. Bengaluru recorded the highest number of cybercimes in Metropolitan cities (2020-2022) with 9940 cases registered in 2022 with chargsheet rate at 22.6 per cent. This was followed by financial capital Mumbai with 4724 cases for the corresponding period and a chargesheet rate of 16. 6 per cent. Hyderabad was at 4436 with 25.4 per cent chargesheet rate while New Delhi recorded 685 in the same period with 89.3 per cent chargesheet. The NCRB report also stated that in States and UTs offences against the state have seen an increase of 8.6 per cent. "A total of 5,610 cases under cases involving offences against the state have been registered in 2022 as compared to 5,164 cases in the year 2021, showing an increase of 8.6 per cent. Out of 5,610 cases, 78.5 per cent of cases were registered under The Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act (4,403 Cases) followed by 1,005 (17.9 per cent) cases under The Unlawful Activities Prevention Act" the report states. However, according to the NCRB report there has been a decrease in overall crimes registered under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Special and Local Laws (SLL). "Total of 58,24,946 cognizable crimes comprising 35,61,379 Indian Penal Code (IPC) crimes and 22,63,567 Special &amp; Local Laws (SLL) crimes were registered in 2022. It shows a decline of 2,71,364 (4.5 per centage) in registration of cases over 2021 (60,96,310 cases)" the report states. "Crime rate registered per lakh population has declined from 445.9 in 2021 to 422.2 in 2022. During 2022, registration of cases under IPC and SLL Crimes have declined by 2.8% and 7.0% respectively over 2021" the report adds. In the 19 Metropolitan cities -Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Coimbatore, Delhi, Ghaziabad, Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, Kanpur, Kochi, Kolkata, Kozhikode, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, Patna, Pune and Surat - crimes registered have decreased by 10.4 per cent over 2021. "A total of 8,53,470 cognizable crimes comprising 6,20,356 Indian Penal Code (IPC) crimes and 2,33,114 Special &amp; Local Laws (SLL) crimes were registered in 19 metropolitan cities during 2022, showing a decrease of 10.4% over 2021 (9,52,273 cases)" the NCRB report stated. In these <keyword id="6380225" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="metros" source="Orion">Metros</keyword>, during 2022, "IPC crimes registered have declined by 1.7 per cent and SLL crimes registered have decreased by 27.4 per cent over 2021. Under IPC crimes, majority of cases were registered under Theft accounting for 44.6 PC (2,76,460 out of 6,20,356 cases) followed by Rash Driving on Public way 10.5 per cent (65,339 cases) and Disobedience to order duly promulgated by Public Servant (Sec 188 IPC) with 7.0 per cent (43,733 cases) during 2022" the report added. The report further said that in States and Union territories during 2022, a total of 32,28,322 persons were arrested under 35,61,379 cases of IPC crimes. A total of 43,67,588 persons were charge-sheeted, 10,55,181 persons were convicted, 9,81,194 persons were acquitted and 1,52,787 persons were discharged. A total of 21,61,911 persons were arrested under 22,63,567 cases of SLL crimes. A total of 27,04,985 persons were charge-sheeted, 14,16,858 persons were convicted, 3,69,789 persons were acquitted and 57,187 persons were discharged In the 19 Metro Cities, a total of 4,37,761 persons were arrested under 6,20,356 IPC crimes. A total of 4,28,497 persons were charge-sheeted, 1,30,015 persons were convicted, 73,723 persons were acquitted and 11,227 persons were discharged. A total 2,58,327 persons were arrested under 2,33,114 SLL crimes. A total of 2,79,104 persons were charge-sheeted, 1,34,029 persons were convicted, 36,234 persons were acquitted and 3,876 persons were discharged. (ANI)

NCRB report shows sharp increase in Cyber Crime cases in states, Metros; overall dip in IPC cases registered in 2022

<ul><li>Four metro cities, together, reported almost 35.5% of the total suicides from 53 mega cities.</li><li>Kollam city followed by Asansol reported the highest suicides rate of 43.9 and 38.5 respectively.</li><li>Delhi reported the highest number of suicides among union territories.</li></ul>Four metropolitan cities — Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru and Mumbai — accounted for 35.5% of the total suicides reported from 53 mega cities in 2021, according to a <keyword id="91016" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="National-Crime-Records-Bureau" source="Orion">National Crime Records Bureau</keyword> (<keyword id="103722" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="ncrb" source="Orion">NCRB</keyword>) report. Cities also ranked high in <keyword id="6356238" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="suicide" source="Orion">suicide</keyword> rate — the number of suicides per one lakh people – at 16. This is higher than the all-India suicide rate, which was 12. The city with the highest suicide rate is Kollam in Kerala with a suicide rate of 43.9; followed by Asansol in West Bengal with 38.5. A total of 25,891 suicides were reported in the 53 mega cities of the country. A city which has a population of more than a million is considered as a mega city. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 468pt;"><colgroup></colgroup><col /><col /><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">City </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">No. of suicide cases in 2021 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Delhi </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">2,760 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Chennai </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">2,699 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Bengaluru </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">2,292 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Mumbai </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">1,436 </td></tr></tbody></table>Source: NCRB report <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Five states account for half of the country’s suicides" comment="subhead" text="Five states account for half of the country’s suicides">Five states account for half of the country’s suicides</cmsannotation> Delhi, Chennai and Bengaluru have shown a significant decline in the cases in 2021 as compared to 2020. However, the number of suicides from Mumbai increased by 12%, from 1,282 suicides to 1,436 suicides. Maharashtra reported the most sucide cases at 22,207, followed by 18,925 suicides in Tamil Nadu and 14,965 suicides in Madhya Pradesh. Five states — Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and Karnataka — accounted for 50.4% of the total suicides in the country. And, 49.6% of suicides were reported from the remaining 23 states and eight union territories. Delhi, which is the most-populous union territory, has reported the highest number of suicides among UTs. Telangana reported the highest increase in the suicides by 26%, followed by Uttar Pradesh and Puducherry by 23.5% each. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Family problems and illness are the major reasons" comment="subhead" text="Family problems and illness are the major reasons">Family problems and illness are the major reasons</cmsannotation> According to the NCRB report, family problems and illness were the major causes of this extreme step — accounting to 33.2% and 18.6% of total suicides respectively. The next on the list is addiction to drugs and alcohol. Multiple reasons around financial problems like poverty, bankruptcy, unemployment, professional career problems together accounted for almost 10% of the total suicides in India. Whereas, affairs of the heart like love and marriage related issues accounted for over 5%. Causes are unknown for 9.7% of suicides, and another 9% fall under ‘other causes’. <div type="image" title="Percentage Share of Various Causes of Suicides During 2021" msid="93874926" hostid="261" sizebytes="364657" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Percentage Share of Various Causes of Suicides During 2021&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> The age groups between 18-30 years and 30-45 years accounted to 34.5% and 31.7% of suicides, respectively. As many as 10,000 farmers ended their lives in 2021, accounting for 6.6% of total suicides victims in the country. West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Tripura, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Chandigarh, Lakshadweep and Puducherry reported zero suicides of farmers or agricultural labourers. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/markets-rebound-in-early-trade-amid-buying-in-banking-counters/articleshow/93869413.cms">Markets rebound in early trade amid buying in banking counters</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/gautam-adani-is-now-the-third-richest-person-in-the-world-as-per-bloomberg/articleshow/93868294.cms">Gautam Adani is now the third richest person in the world, only behind Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos</a>

Kerala's Kollam has the highest suicide rate amongst Indian cities: NCRB report

<ul><li>Khalid has already been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) along with Jamia student and RJD youth wing president Meeran Haider, JCC media coordinator Safoora Zargar, and Danish, a resident of northeast Delhi's Bhajanpura.</li><li>Khalid was summoned on Saturday and Sunday. He was arrested after being questioned for around 10 hours and will be produced before a Delhi court on Monday.</li></ul><keyword id="6358992" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Delhi-Police">Delhi Police</keyword> arrested former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student <keyword id="3251888" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Umar-Khalid">Umar Khalid</keyword> under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with northeast <keyword id="2207894" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Delhi-Riots">Delhi riots</keyword> that broke out in February this year. Khalid has already been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) along with Jamia student and RJD youth wing president Meeran Haider, JCC media coordinator Safoora Zargar, and Danish, a resident of northeast Delhi's Bhajanpura. "My son Umar Khalid has been arrested tonight at 11 p.m. by Special Cell, Delhi Police under UAPA. Police was questioning him since 1 p.m. He has been implicated in Delhi riots," said Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, father of Umar Khalid. Khalid was summoned on Saturday and Sunday. He was arrested after being questioned for around 10 hours and will be produced before a Delhi court on Monday. Earlier on September 2, Khalid was called by the Crime Branch for questioning in the northeast Delhi riots case. He was let off after the questioning. The arrest comes hours after Delhi police issued a statement on Sunday in which it has asked those who have doubts and questions about the northeast Delhi riots probe to take legal course at the appropriate time. The Delhi police said that various interest groups are using social media platforms and other online portals to raise questions about the fairness of investigation of the northeast Delhi riot cases. Earlier, retired IPS officer Julio Ribeiro, who was former Mumbai police commissioner, DGP Gujarat and Punjab, and former Indian Ambassador to Romania, has written to Delhi Police Commissioner S N Shrivastava, questioning the probe into the northeast Delhi riots cases. Since December, Delhi was brimming with tensions after the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was passed. A sit-in protest against it started at various parts of the national capital. An agitation also started near Jafrabad metro station in northeast Delhi. The protests in northeast Delhi turned violent and around 53 people were killed. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/news/a-supercomputer-found-a-promising-theory-about-why-covid-19-cases-go-downhill-fast-it-even-explains-the-bizarre-range-of-symptoms-/articleshow/78090337.cms">A supercomputer found a promising theory about why COVID-19 cases go downhill fast. It even explains the bizarre range of symptoms</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/news/the-first-public-test-flight-of-a-manned-flying-car-has-been-completed-in-japan-x2014-see-the-sd-03/slidelist/77962793.cms">The first public test flight of a manned flying car has been completed in Japan — see the SD-03</a>

Delhi Police arrests Umar Khalid in connection with Northeast Delhi riots

<ul><li>Delhi police officer shot dead in Rohini before reportedly shooting himself. </li><li>Three empty cartridges obtained from the crime scene in Rohini. </li><li>Delhi polling began at 8 am today for 70 assembly seats in Delhi.</li></ul>A woman police officer of Delhi police was shot dead in north-west Delhi, while walking back home from a metro station, on Friday 7.Delhi Police sub-inspector <keyword id="8743059" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="preeti-ahlawat">Preeti Ahlawat</keyword> was returning home from work and got off the metro near Rohini when a fellow cop shot her three times in a row before shooting himself, according to a TV channel, Mirror NOW citing sources. Ahlawat was shot in the head and died on the spot, the police said. Police also mentioned that the body had been sent for autopsy and the local CCTV footage was obtained. Delhi Police suspected a personal enmity and claimed that the attacker had been identified, but no arrests have been made as of now. Three empty cartridges of bullets were found with multiple gunshots from the crime scene, adding a case has been registered, the police <a href="https://www.outlookindia.com/newsscroll/woman-cop-shot-dead-near-rohini-east-metro-station/1729095">said</a>. Ahlawat was posted in Delhi at the Patparganj Industrial Area police station. The sub-inspector belonged to Sonipat, Haryana and was presently staying at a rented apartment in Rohini. The news came less than 12 hours before Delhi election polling were left. The Delhi Police have tight security arrangements in place across the national capital as the polling began at 8 am today for 70 assembly seats in Delhi. Police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed at various polling booths, and the chief electoral office in Delhi is closely monitoring ‘critical’ polling booths at Shaheen Bagh with the help of CCTV cameras. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/news/delhi-elections-2020-voting-day-news-and-highlights/articleshow/74019928.cms?src=hp_ts">Delhi Elections 2020: Voting day news and highlights</a>

Delhi Election 2020: Delhi police personnel shot dead in Rohini, day ahead of Delhi Elections

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/36005359.cms" /> After a week of great <keyword id="25892" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="box-office">box office</keyword> action, mainly due to the runaway success of Rajinikanth-starrer <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Box-Office-Kochadaiiyaan-Thrives-On-Rajini-Power-Heropanti-Soaring-High/articleshow/35710189.cms">Kochadaiiyaan</a>, <keyword id="143" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bollywood">Bollywood</keyword> is back to a dismal crawl. Last Friday (May 30) saw the release of just two flicks – Hansal Mehta-directed <keyword id="502037" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="Citylights">Citylights</keyword> and newbie film-maker <keyword id="1307809" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Aman-Sachdeva">Aman Sachdeva</keyword>’s <keyword id="1444695" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kuku-Mathur-Ki-Jhand-Ho-Gayi">Kuku Mathur Ki Jhand Ho Gayi</keyword> (well, this one is produced by <keyword id="6354597" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Ekta-Kapoor">Ekta Kapoor</keyword>, <keyword id="154993" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Shobha-Kapoor">Shobha Kapoor</keyword> and Bejoy Nambiar). Although both are hatke movies in a way and the former has earned enough critical accolades, none could manage an impressive showing at the <keyword id="827271" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Domestic-Box-Office">domestic box office</keyword> and recorded only 5-10% occupancy on debut day. 
 
Citylights, however, did considerably well after collecting just Rs 70 lakh on the opening Friday. The movie hit 500 screens and went on to earn Rs 3.57 crore at home in the first three days, according to <keyword id="6356809" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="producer">producer</keyword> figure (trade figure puts it at Rs 3.18 crore). But the crucial first Monday collections dipped again to Rs 60 lakh (approx). However, keeping in mind it is a <keyword id="2289947" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Low-budget-movie">low-budget movie</keyword> and cost around Rs 7 crore including P&amp;A, Citylights may just avoid losses. 
 
On the other hand, <keyword id="2289921" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kuku-Mathur">Kuku Mathur</keyword> Ki Jhand Ho Gayi, a rom-com drama with a <keyword id="2289946" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="quirky-title">quirky title</keyword> and an unmistakable <keyword id="2289944" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Delhi-flavour">Delhi flavour</keyword>, has garnered a paltry Rs 1.60 crore over the first weekend, against an estimated budget of Rs 6 crore. In addition, it has landed into further trouble as a resident of <keyword id="6355556" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="bhopal">Bhopal</keyword> has reportedly filed a Public Interest Litigation (<keyword id="6355791" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="PIL">PIL</keyword>) against <keyword id="766823" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Balaji-Motion-Pictures">Balaji Motion Pictures</keyword>, claiming that the film’s title has hurt the sentiments of the Kayastha community. Kuku Mathur was released across 700 screens but going by its performance, it can be a clean washout at the box office. 
 
But what has gone wrong with Citylights? For one, the movie gives you a taste of unsavoury reality that is bound to jolt viewers. Inspired by the British film <keyword id="467511" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Metro-Manila">Metro Manila</keyword>, Citylights by <keyword id="303" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Director">director</keyword> <keyword id="4684" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Hansal-Mehta">Hansal Mehta</keyword> (of Shahid fame) pieces together the gripping tale of an <keyword id="2289953" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Uprooted-family">uprooted family</keyword> and their desperate struggle to survive in the ruthless city of Mumbai. The <keyword id="1097560" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="storyline">storyline</keyword> unveils a touching human document, superbly portrayed by the lead couple – <keyword id="1946388" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rajkummar-Rao">Rajkummar Rao</keyword> (<keyword id="6357110" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="deepak">Deepak</keyword>) and debutante <keyword id="2222926" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Patralekha">Patralekha</keyword>. Even the crime drama blends well with the colourful kaleidoscope – gentle, sombre, harsh and tragic at times. The ending is undoubtedly filmy, but the rest shines with a rare sensitivity that saves Citylights from being a cliché. 
 
 <img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/36005438.cms" /> 
 
In contrast, Kuku Mathur is a <keyword id="2289956" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Light-comedy">light comedy</keyword>, telling the story of two fast <keyword id="343" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="Friends">friends</keyword> – Kuku Mathur (<keyword id="803840" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Siddharth-Gupta">Siddharth Gupta</keyword>) and <keyword id="2289924" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ronnie-Gulati">Ronnie Gulati</keyword> (<keyword id="2222736" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ashish-Juneja">Ashish Juneja</keyword>) – and their coming of age. This one is Sachdeva’s debut film and there are the usual hiccups in terms of plot and characters. But the lead duo and <keyword id="38050" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Amit-Sial">Amit Sial</keyword> (<keyword id="2289962" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Prabhakar-Bhaiya">Prabhakar Bhaiya</keyword>, the baddie uncle trying to influence Kuku) have put in some fantastic acting; the humour is quite <keyword id="678332" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Subtle">subtle</keyword> at times and the <keyword id="2289967" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Delhi-backdrop">Delhi backdrop</keyword> adds some endearing local colours. Kuku’s culinary aspirations bring in a fresh <keyword id="30450" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="80" keywordseo="Touch">touch</keyword>, but a crisper storyline and engaging <keyword id="42057" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Screenplay">screenplay</keyword> could have improved the film vastly. Overall, an average movie with a few ‘wow’ moments and that partly explains the poor box office response. 
 But in case you are longing for another <keyword id="654103" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="smash">smash</keyword> hit like <keyword id="1849408" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kochadaiiyaan">Kochadaiiyaan</keyword> or even <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Box-Office-Kochadaiiyaan-Thrives-On-Rajini-Power-Heropanti-Soaring-High/articleshow/35710189.cms">Heropanti</a>, wait till you get to watch Akshay Kumar-starrer <keyword id="2113212" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Holiday-A-Soldier-Is-Never-Off-Duty">Holiday: A Soldier Is Never Off Duty</keyword>, to be released on June 6. It is a remake of the Tamil hit <keyword id="2289970" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Tuppaki">Tuppaki</keyword> and also stars <keyword id="62210" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sonakshi-Sinha">Sonakshi Sinha</keyword>. Let us wait and see if ‘Akki’ can break the box office jinx. 
 
Images: Indiatimes

Citylights
Impressive But Tanks At Box Office; Kuku Mathur Doesn’t Take Off

New Delhi, Apr 30 () Amid the coronavirus-induced lockdown, the Delhi Police has registered over 140 cases under the Excise Act and arrested 155 people in the first two weeks of April, officials said on Thursday.On an average, police seized 1,237 liquor bottles daily between April 1 to 15, they said.The police have registered 147 cases and seized 18,556 bottles of liquor in the first two weeks of this month, senior officials said, adding the outer district registered the maximum 27 cases, arrested as many people and seized 1,243 liquor bottles from there.The Crime Branch seized the maximum 8,460 bottles, registered only one case and arrested one person. The New Delhi district, railways, metro and special cell units of the Delhi Police have not registered any case under the Excise Act, they said. Seventeen people have been arrested in 18 cases in Rohini district while 3,130 liquor bottles were seized. In Dwarka district, 1,713 bottles of liquor were seized, 16 cases registered and 20 people arrested police said. In North district, where some people had broken into a liquor shop earlier this month, eight cases were registered and 10 people arrested with 38 bottles. The government had last week allowed opening of neighbourhood and standalone shops, including those located in residential complexes in municipal areas, but at a 50 per cent strength and after taking necessary precautions. However, the liquor shops remain closed. NIT NSDNSD

147 cases registered under Excise Act, 155 held in first 2 weeks of April: Delhi police

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/57654041.cms" /> 
 <keyword id="6354552" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="hyderabad">Hyderabad</keyword> has emerged as the best city in terms of living standards among Indian cities three years in a row, while Vienna has been ranked at the top globally in a list by consultancy firm Mercer. The National Capital for the second straight year hit the lowest score among Indian cities for living standards, as per the Mercer's Quality of Living rankings 2017. Both Hyderabad and Pune ranked higher for quality of living than the country's traditional business centres Mumbai and <keyword id="6358777" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="New-Delhi">New Delhi</keyword>, which have been ranked at 154 and 161, respectively, by the report. However, Hyderabad fell by five places to 144 in this year's rankings from 139th rank last year due to decreased power supply and water availability. While New Delhi scored well on account of its airport facility, availability of international schools and low probability of natural disasters, these positives were offset by a variety of negatives including a 'notorious' crime rate, air pollution and water availability, the report said. "Delhi continues to be challenged with increasing air pollution, owing to growing traffic and industrialisation. Delhi's air is the worst among world megacities, even the World Health Organisation confirmed recently. Unfortunately, there has been no improvement in air quality," Ruchika Pal, Principal and <keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> Practice Leader, Global Mobility, said. Over time, cities like Hyderabad, Pune and Chennai have emerged as cities of choice due to factors such as relatively lower crime rate, lesser air pollution and improved options for international and reputable English speaking schools. Pal noted that Indian cities that have been part of the survey have not made much progress on the quality of living scale since last year. The only exception is Chennai, whose score has marginally improved mainly on account of public transport, including buses and a recently expanded two¬line metro system, and improved availability of expat housing. Globally, Vienna remained at the top for overall quality of living for the eighth year running, with the rest of the top-ten list mostly filled by European cities. European cities in the top ten list are: Zurich (2) Munich (4), Dusseldorf (6), Frankfurt (7), Geneva (8), Copenhagen (9) and Basel ¬¬ a newcomer ¬¬ at 10th place. The only non¬European cities in the top ten are Auckland (3) and Vancouver (5). The highest ranking cities in Asia and Latin America are Singapore (25) and Montevideo (79), respectively, it said. Mercer's survey also includes a city infrastructure ranking that assesses each city's supply of electricity, drinking water, telephone and mail services, and public transportation as well as traffic congestion and the range of international flights available from local airports. Singapore topped the city infrastructure ranking, followed by Frankfurt and Munich both in 2nd place, while on the other hand Baghdad (230) and Port au Prince (231) ranked at the bottom for city infrastructure. Amongst Indian cities, Mumbai is ranked the highest at 141, followed by Kolkata (149) and Pune (151), while Bangalore was rated the lowest (177) by the report. 
 
<a href="http://New Delhi rated worst and Hyderabad rated best city in India in terms of living standards">Image credit</a>

New Delhi rated worst and Hyderabad rated best city in India in terms of living standards

An alarming rise in the demand for <keyword id="24545" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Child-pornography">child pornography</keyword> material (also referred to as 'Child Sexual Abuse Material') has been seen ever since the Covid-19 induced lockdown was enforced, the <keyword id="9047685" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="india-child-protection">India Child Protection</keyword> Fund (<keyword id="5125330" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="ICPF">ICPF</keyword>) claimed on Monday. According to the ICPF, the online data monitoring websites are showing an increase in demand for searches like '<keyword id="73039" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="child-porn">child porn</keyword>', 'sexy child' and 'teen sex videos'. Data from Pornhub, the world's largest pornography website in the world, also reveals that traffic from India has increased by 95 per cent between 24th and 26th March 2020, as compared to their average traffic, pre-coronavirus, the ICPF claimed. In its report the ICPF said that New Delhi was amongst the cities where there is a "high demand" for child pornographic material, thereby posing grave risks to its children during the Covid induced lockdown. The ICPF has released a report titled 'Child Sexual Abuse Material in India', a research of child pornography demand in 100 cities in India like New Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar and Indore. The overall demand for child pornography was an average of 5 million per month in 100 cities on the public web during December 2019, which has now spiked. The report reveals up to a 200 per cent increase in demand for violent content which shows children "choking", "bleeding" and 'tortured". "Metro cities like New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Mumbai, besides many Tier II and capital cities, which are seeing a sharp increase in coronavirus cases, have been red-flagged by the December study as hotspots for child pornography," the ICPF said. "ICPF has warned that this indicates millions of paedophiles, child rapists and child pornography addicts have migrated online, making the Internet extremely unsafe for children. Without stringent action, this could result in a drastic rise in sexual crimes against children," it added. The report cites Europol, United Nations, ECPAT reports which say that children are now more prone to online grooming and sexual coercion, and also refers to recent news of the Childline India Helpline reporting more than 92,000 SOS calls asking for protection from abuse and violence in 11 days of the lockdown. "This presents a chilling reality of the extreme threat faced by India's children during this period of lockdown. Demand for child sexual abuse material indicates children are more vulnerable to sexual predators," ICPF said. The organisation has requested the authorities to further step up online vigil in these cities for potential exploiters. Also the Rajya Sabha Committee on the issue, instituted by Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, has recommended stringent laws for Internet service providers like Jio and Airtel, and platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, to hold them accountable for child abuse enabled by these companies. The ICPF reiterated the urgent need to implement these recommendations. "This is a blatant violation of the directions of the Honourable Supreme Court, and a violation of national policy. Pornographic websites are playing hide-and-seek with Indian law and judiciary by simply changing their website URLs," Nivedita Ahuja, spokesperson for the ICPF said. "The Government of India must urgently crackdown on child pornography and also initiate a global dialogue for an international convention against child sexual abuse material," she added. The India Child Protection Fund (ICPF) is one of the largest child protection organisations in South Asia, working to end child trafficking and child rape. It seeks to achieve its mission by supporting organisations with strategic funding and resources across South Asia.

Demand for child pornography in India spiked since lockdown: ICPF

<ul><li>The <keyword id="49488" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lucknow-police">Lucknow police</keyword> are installing cameras with <keyword id="447510" type="TECHNOLOGY" weightage="20" keywordseo="facial-recognition-technology">facial recognition technology</keyword>, powered by <keyword id="107950" type="TECHNOLOGY" weightage="20" keywordseo="artificial-intelligence">artificial intelligence</keyword> (AI), in prominent harassment hotspots.</li><li>The cameras will gauge whether a woman is in distress based on her facial expression and send an alert to the police.</li><li>Anita Gurumurthy, founding member and executive director of IT for Change, called the idea “both absurd and undemocratic.”</li></ul> The <keyword id="6355192" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lucknow">Lucknow</keyword> police seem to be dead serious about attempting to provide women with a sense of security, whether they want it or not. And, experts say, it is testing the fine line between safety measures and a person’s right to privacy. Under the <keyword id="6357713" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Uttar-Pradesh">Uttar Pradesh</keyword> government's Mission Shakti programme, Lucknow police are <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/smart-cams-to-read-expressions-of-women-in-distress-alert-cops/articleshow/80375401.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">installing cameras</a> equipped with facial recognition technology, powered by artificial intelligence (AI), that will gauge whether a woman is in distress based on her facial expression and send an alert to the police, even before she or anyone else can call the police for help. <div type="image" title="Dhruva Kant Thakur" msid="80422715" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Dhruva Kant Thakur, the police commissioner of Lucknow, asserted that around 200 &amp;#39;hotspots&amp;#39; in Lucknow had been identified from where the most amount of complaints of harassment has been lodged, and the programme will be piloted by placing these special cameras in five of these locations.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> While the idea may seem well-intended at first, most experts consider this surveillance programme precarious. Sumathi Chandrashekaran, a policy lawyer, based in New Delhi, sums it up as follows. "This policy proposal is laughable and problematic in so many multiple dimensions, that it is hard to parse it into a coherent argument,” she told Business Insider. But do Lakhnawis care? <div type="image" title="Lucknow market" msid="80422279" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Representative image.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Some locals of Lucknow do not see the inherent threat in this proposal. Vasudha, a long-time Lucknow resident, is taking heart from the fact that instead of the police monitoring her moves, it will be technology doing so. "Going forward it seems that it's not something we can run away from, but proper and full information is a key. I too got scared seeing the news but after talking to my husband, I realised we use AI every day in our lives anyway and it's not that scary. We just need to know where to draw the line as an informed consumer/citizen," she said. First up: Indian cops do not have a great track record in surveillance Anita Gurumurthy, founding member and executive director of IT for Change, called the idea “both absurd and undemocratic.” And she has her reasons. She cited the example of how cameras in metro trains have been instruments of voyeurism with law enforcers violating the privacy and dignity of women commuters. <div type="image" title="Anita Gurumurthy" msid="80423110" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;quot;These cameras are not likely to enable gender-responsive, victim-centric and rights-oriented policing, assuming the remote possibility that the distress captured is a real case and the response cycle agile enough.&amp;quot;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Secondly, the technology is untested, unproven “There are ethical concerns that need democratic deliberation because the AI does not discern the difference between socially meaningful ends and socially repressive and harmful ones,” Gurumurthy added. There are other practical problems for the cops as well. “In a situation wherein two women who are friends are having a heated conversation, an alert generated would only lead to unnecessary harassment by the police. If only certain alerts are responded to, the question that arises is who is making the decision about which alerts to respond to,” explained Anushka Jain, Associate Counsel (Transparency &amp; Right to Information) at the Internet Freedom Foundation. <div type="image" title="Anushka Jain" msid="80422387" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;quot;Misuse of this system is a very real problem that could arise wherein the women face harassment from the police itself or certain areas of the city being overpoliced.&amp;quot;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Not just that, Jain raised many pertinent questions, like: <ol><li>How and where will the data be stored?</li><li>Who will have access to the data and who will approve this access?</li><li>Who will be accountable for the misuse of information?</li><li>What if women get harassed by the police itself?</li></ol>“To ensure security in high crime areas, the simple solution would be to install more police personnel there. Installation of these cameras and the subsequent constant surveillance will only lead to more harm than benefits," said Jain. ‘The proposal to use facial recognition tech in this manner is legally untenable’ Chandrasekharan contends that technology is not foolproof. ‘Has the AI algorithm been tested for failures, biases, and the numerous other issues it will likely have?” she asked, highlighting that the policy strikes at the heart of the individual right to privacy. “Any act of surveillance has to pass through hoops of tests under law before it can be deemed a legitimate exercise,” she said. <div type="image" title="Sumathi Chandrashekaran" msid="80422345" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;quot;The presumptions underlying the deployment of the tech are fundamentally flawed: it reinforces classic stereotypes of women as victims and in need of protection, and tackles the act of sexual harassment post facto.&amp;quot; &amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> According to Chandrasekharan, if this kind of surveillance receives sanction, nothing prevents the state from invading our private spaces, like homes, more flagrantly, purportedly to "protect" us from becoming victims. “Actions like these are fundamentally opposed to democratic principles, and thus, untenable," she said. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/heres-how-indians-are-buying-tesla-facebook-and-apple-shares-through-brokerage-startups/articleshow/80403004.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Here’s how Indians are buying Tesla, Facebook, and Apple shares through brokerage startups</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/economy/news/recession-in-india-will-end-latest-by-march-says-a-top-economist/articleshow/80399198.cms">Recession in India will end latest by March, says a top economist</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/do-not-panic-when-finance-minister-nirmala-sitharaman-reads-out-the-revised-estimates/articleshow/80400869.cms">Do not panic when Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman reads out the revised estimates</a>

A scary proposal to use facial recognition and AI by an Indian state has experts fuming

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/48867262.cms" /> 
It’s a welcome move by <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Home+Minister+Rajnath+Singh+">Home Minister Rajnath Singh</a> who would soon propose that the 100 'Smart Cities' should be developed as 'Safe Cities' with the help of the latest security equipment like CCTVs, command control centers, patrol cars, aerial surveillance and more women cops. 
 
The 100 <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=%E2%80%98Smart+Cities%E2%80%99+">‘Smart Cities’</a> project announced by the <keyword id="71" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Prime-Minister">prime minister</keyword> last month is the part of a government flagship programme. 
 <keyword id="6355121" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Rajnath-Singh">Rajnath Singh</keyword> will make a proposal to the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Urban+Development+Ministry+">Urban Development Ministry</a> that the former's 'Safe City' project should be combined with the Rs 48,000 crore 'Smart Cities' concept so that the 100 cities could be made smart as wells as safe from crime or terror. 
 The present 'Safe City' project of the MHA covers only seven metros - Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad. The MHA now proposes to cover all 100 'Safe Cities' under the concept in association with the <keyword id="6696781" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Urban-development-ministry">Urban Development Ministry</keyword>. 
 
Rajnath Singh chaired a meeting in this regard with MoS Home <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Kiren+Rijiju">Kiren Rijiju</a>, the <keyword id="123228" type="POSITION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Director-General">Director General</keyword> of <keyword id="3043518" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="Bureau-of-Police-Research-and-Development-NR-Wasan">Bureau of Police Research and Development NR Wasan</keyword> and MHA <keyword id="230912" type="POSITION" weightage="60" keywordseo="security-advisor">Security Advisor</keyword> <keyword id="3043517" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="K-Vijay-Kumar">K. Vijay Kumar</keyword> on Monday. "The smart cities need to be safe cities as well. We are planning to propose the same for planning in advance," Rijiju told ET. 
 
Last month, the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=%E2%80%98Smart+Cities%E2%80%99+">Prime Minister</a> had announced names of 98 cities which will be specially developed as 'Smart Cities' as part of a government flagship project, with one nomination of a city pending from Uttar Pradesh and J&amp;K each. 
 "The idea is that MHA and <keyword id="81069" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="UD-ministry">UD Ministry</keyword> should not work in isolation on each of its projects and it is better that MHA works with UD on the latter's project rather than planning for the safety of the cities subsequently," a MHA official said. 
 
The 'Smart City' concept involves promoting mixed land use in area based developments, housing and inclusiveness, creating walkable localities, promoting a variety of transport options and giving an identity to the city based on its main economic activity. 
 
(Image: Indiatimes)

Sounds cool! ‘Smart Cities’ to also become the safest in the entire country!

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/45963858.cms" /> The <keyword id="6360789" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Modi-Government">Modi government</keyword>’s plan to develop 100 <keyword id="6377036" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="smart-cities">smart cities</keyword> has stirred a debate on its strategy or lack of it on the fate of the existing cities in the country. 
 
Over the years, lack of infrastructure and unplanned growth turned Indian cities into a real mess. While urbanisation has enhanced economic, social and political progress, it has resulted in socio-economic mismatch among people. Also, rapid growth of urban population has put enormous pressure on public utilities like housing, sanitation, transport, water and electricity besides pushing unemployment among rural immigrants. Urbanisation deserves immediate attention as according to reports by 2030, more than 50 % of India’s population is expected to live in urban areas. 
 
Urban sprawl, the expansion of the cities in terms of population and geographical area (which is rapidly taking over the precious agricultural land) has been one of the key problems which authorities failed to tackle. Continuous immigration from rural areas has consistently added to the size of the cities. This has led to a situation where economic base of most cities is incapable of dealing with the problems created by the huge growth of urban population. Metro cities are clear examples urban sprawl due to large scale migration of people from the different states, seeking employment opportunities. 
 
Unplanned growth has also resulted in overcrowding—a situation where too many people live in too little space. For instance, Mumbai has one-sixth of an acre open space per thousand people though four acre is considered normal. This kind of overcrowding leads to heavy pressure on infrastructural facilities. 
 
Overcrowding leads to shortage of houses in urban areas. Housing is a bigger issue in those cities where there is large influx of immigrants. According to a recent study, around 40% of all married couples in India do not have an independent room for themselves. Around 35% of families in urban areas live in one-room houses. About one third of urban Indian families have houses without a proper kitchen, bathroom and a toilet—and there is no supply of water or power in some cases. 
 
Overcrowded cities are a breeding ground for unemployment. According to an estimate, about 50% of all urban unemployed who are educated are concentrated in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. Though those living in cities earn more than those in the villages, their incomes are low considering the high cost of living in urban pockets. Unless government streamlines the large-scale migration to cities, unemployment in cities will continue to rise. 
 Another consequence of unplanned growth of urban areas is the spread of <keyword id="6367743" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="slums">slums</keyword>. In the recent years, industrialisation has led to rapid urbanisation which has resulted in undeterred growth of slums. 
 
A slew of reasons such as the large influx of rural migrants to the cities, the shortage of land for housing development and high prices of land contribute to the growth of slums. No wonder, this has been exerting huge pressure on civic amenities and infrastructure. 
Inadequate transportation is another challenge faced by people living in cities. As cities grow, more people are required to travel to work or shop, leading to clogged roads and unending traffic jams. 
 
Scarcity of drinking water is perhaps the biggest challenge thrown up by haphazard development of cities in India. In fact, no city in India gets sufficient water to meet the needs of city dwellers. In many cities, people get water from the municipal sources for less than half an hour every alternative day. In dry summer season, taps remain dry for days together. 
 
This in addition to growing problems of lack of proper sewerage management, trash disposal and pollution besides surging crime rates in cities. It is high time the government figured out whether developing select smart cities or solving the litany of problems faced by people living in existing cities should be its priority. 
 
Image: thinkstock

Smart Cities Are Good Idea, But What About Existing Ones?

<ul><li>India is sitting on a demographic time bomb. People over the age of 60 are expected to account for 25% of India’s <keyword id="48933" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="population">population</keyword> by 2050.</li><li>The concept of <keyword id="2995734" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="senior-living">senior living</keyword> has been gaining traction in recent years owing to the migration of Indians and the breakdown of the joint family model. </li><li>However, most senior care options are mostly geared towards the upper-middle class. The low-cost options leave a lot to be desired. </li></ul> My father was 64 when he had his first heart attack in September 2015. He downplayed the pain and told my brother and I, who were 23 years old at the time, that it was just acidity. We didn’t know better. Four days later, on his 65th birthday, the heart attack led to a stroke, which affected a small part of his brain that dealt with his speech and comprehension. Following his discharge from the hospital, my brother and I worked out an arrangement with our respective employers wherein we worked from home on alternative days so we could take care of him. My father slowly regained his verve and became somewhat self-sufficient by the end of 2015. However, he suffered another stroke and an epileptic seizure in April 2016. After my father suffered a third stroke in February 2017, the idea of putting him in an assisted living facility was floated by my uncle. My brother was living in Bombay by this point and I was spending more time at work so it seemed like the sensible thing to do. The concept of senior living, while relatively new to India, has been gaining traction in recent years and with good reason. There were 103.8 million citizens above the age of 60 in India in 2011, according to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, and the number is expected to reach 143 million by 2021 and 173 million by 2026. Concurrently, as nuclear families are in vogue, the safety net afforded to old people by the joint family model is disintegrating. India has also seen a wave of migration in the last few decades as young people have gone to big metros as well as foreign countries in search of better opportunities, leaving their parents behind. More and more old people are living alone- which makes them vulnerable to <a href="https://www.firstpost.com/india/increase-in-crimes-against-senior-citizens-in-chennai-forces-them-to-shift-to-retirement-homes-3109622.html">crime</a> and depression. And the problem will only get worse. People over the age of 60 are expected to account for 25% of India’s population by 2050. India’s emerging market counterparts like Brazil and China are also sitting on a similar demographic time-bomb resulting from decades of exponential economic growth, improved health outcomes and stretched budgets. While Western countries like the US and UK started laying the foundational groundwork for their senior care industries in the latter half of the 20th century, BRIC countries only began developing an industrial framework to address the problem in the recent past - that too, by encouraging foreign participation and co-opting the western model of senior living which marries real estate development with at-home care. The Senior Care Act The Indian government has made some noticeable interventions but they haven’t produced the desired results. For example, in 2007, there government of India passed the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and <keyword id="20566" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="senior-citizens">Senior Citizens</keyword> Act. The act requires children to take care of their parents in <keyword id="6378960" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="old-age">old age</keyword>. It also mandates the establishment of old age homes by state governments. The act has failed on both fronts. Senior citizens neither have the knowledge of their rights or the will to take their children to court. As of mid-2017, only 360 homes had been built by state governments with central funding under the Integrated Programme for Older Persons (IPOP), according to data from the social justice ministry. India’s private sector takes the lead However, India’s private sector has spotted the gap in the market, taking inspiration from the US’s $300 billion senior living industry. By 2013, India had 30 assisted living projects in India, with another 30 in the pipeline, according to Jones Lang Lasalle, a commercial real estate firm. There are a number of developers building “retirement resorts” in North India to cater to the high-end segment. Max India, a <keyword id="6354525" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="healthcare">healthcare</keyword> giant, has a 200-block senior living facility called Antara on the outskirts of the city of Dehradun. Pitched as the confluence of lifestyle and life care, the community boasts state-of-the-art medical facilities with in-house doctors as well as a a fitness centre, which includes a gym, spa and a swimming pool. Prices for a property here start at a cool $300,000. However, the senior living trend actually took flight in south Indian states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, where a large number of non-resident Indians (NRI) hail from, before spreading to the North. In recognition of their high purchasing power, Covai Care, a Coimbatore-based developer, launched S3 Retirement Homes, one of India’s first retirement projects, according to its general manager, S Prabhakar, in 2007 to cater to this market. While the senior living market has doubled since then, says Prabhakar, it is still in a nascent stage. Covai Care primarily offers three forms of care facilities for its residents- assisted care for senior residents, palliative care for terminally ill patients and memory care for patients with dementia or Alzheimer's with properties in Bangalore, Mysore, Coimbatore and Pondicherry. The properties don’t come cheap either. With prices ranging from $60,000 to $150,000 depending on size, residents also have to pay around $270-$300 a month for medical and maintenance fees. Prabhakar maintains that these costs are in line with the average cost of living for these patients anyway. He also expects the demand for these properties to be robust, citing the increase in life expectancy and growing trend of senior citizens who crave independence. The middle ground India is striving to create cheaper offerings for the middle class too. Arun Gupta, the chief executive of Age Ventures India (AVI), a non-profit organisation that petitions builders to develop properties, echoes Mr Prabhakar’s beliefs about the industry’s prospects. “The senior citizen population is growing at a rate of 3.8% per annum, while the overall population of India is growing at 1.8%” he says. For a small consulting fee, AVI works with developers to build elder care homes and communities by sharing best practices and identifying project locations. These homes are modestly priced, with a 1BHK unit starting at $22,500 at the organisation’s first project in Bangalore. Ashiana Housing, a Delhi-based real estate developer, pitches its retirement communities to the middle class in tier-1 and tier-2 cities . The price ranges between $45,000 million and $100,000 for the units, and that demand for them follows the same pattern as the housing market. Amit Dogra, the sales manager for Ashiana's senior living segment, doesn’t think much of India’s cultural aversion to old age homes. “98% of our residents chose senior living independently. They were not forced by their children.” Abhishek Mohanty, a facility design and marketing consultant at Epoch Elder Care, feels otherwise. “Social stigma, especially from relatives, is more of a problem than affordability”, he says. “This is why we target higher-net-worth individuals and NRIs as they are more open to the idea of senior living and are willing to spend the money”. Founded in 2011, Epoch Elder Care originally started as a provider of home care services and personnel before transitioning into the assisted living space. It follows a rental model, entailing a one-time deposit and monthly rental fee, which is better suited to middle class customers. Epoch has three retirement homes with monthly fees of $1,800 for short-term single occupancy guests and $1,350 for long-term guests, which excludes the rather-high 18% GST rate on senior living. Around 60% of Epoch’s residents are dementia patients, which limits the amount of residents per facility. Mohanty is optimistic about his company’s prospects given the country’s increasing awareness about dementia and the growing number of senior citizens. By 2022, Epoch plans to have as many as 12 facilities, with an average of around 50 guests each, operating all over India. The sense of stigma attached to senior living, while declining, is still a consideration for the relatively well-off. Rachna (name changed), a corporate lawyer in her 40s, says that the decision to send her father to a retirement home outside Gurgaon last year was not an easy one. “My friends felt that I was relinquishing my sense of duty,” she said, “and my father likened the experience to being sent to jail”. However, she feels that it was the best option since she and her husband had full-time jobs and two teenage children to take care off. Now, her father, a former stroke victim and arthritis patient, benefits from round-the-clock care and companionship in the facility. No respite at the bottom Senior living seems to be an effective solution for people who can afford it, but for the hundreds of millions that can’t, their options are few and far between. At the lower end of the spectrum, the government-operated old age homes, which feature dormitories instead of rooms, are understaffed and in a deplorable condition, according to Matthew Cherian, the chief executive of HelpAge India. There are a number of cheaper nursing homes that are run by private owners, however quality is still an issue given the lack of government-imposed industry standards. And some of these also operate without licenses and accreditation. In 2012, <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/68-nursing-homes-dont-have-licences/articleshow/13238672.cms">68 nursing homes </a>were found to be operating illegally in Pune. A variety of non-profit organisations like HelpAge India also run and support old age homes, but the supply of beds in such homes is drastically outweighed by the number of people that need them. As I write this, it’s been more than 13 months since my father’s last stroke. He’s in good spirits. He’s been eating well and going for walks every evening with other senior citizens in our gated community in Gurgaon. He has moved past his initial resistance and softened his stance towards senior living facilities, in anticipation of my eventual departure from home. “If I have to go one day, I’ll go”, he says. “Maybe I can get my friends to come with me too”. If only other Indians like him had the same option.

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