Coronavirus cases in India climb to 31,332— with Maharashtra and Delhi seeing a continuous rise

(Eds: Combining related stories) New Delhi, May 9 () The nationwide tally of confirmed COVID-19 cases crossed 60,000 on Saturday and the death toll neared the 2,000 mark after more people tested positive for the deadly virus infection across states, while worries mounted globally about re-emergence of the outbreak after reopening of locked down economies. The Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said the testing capacity for COVID-19 has been ramped up to around 95,000 tests per day and a total of over 15 lakh tests have been conducted so far across hundreds of government and private labs. But a large number of cases continued to get detected in several states and union territories, barring Kerala and a few smaller states including in North-East that reported nil or single-digit fresh cases. In its daily update, the Union Health Ministry said the COVID-19 death toll has risen to 1,981 and the number of cases has climbed to 59,662, registering an increase of 95 deaths and 3,320 cases in 24 hours till Saturday morning. The number of active COVID-19 cases stood at 39,834, while 17,846 people have recovered and one patient has migrated, it said. However, a tally of numbers reported by different states and UTs, as of 6.45 PM, showed at least 60,266 confirmed cases across the country. This showed an increase of nearly 4,000 confirmed cases since Friday morning. On Saturday, fresh cases were reported from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Bihar and Assam, among other places. Globally, nearly 40 lakh people have tested positive for the deadly virus since its emergence in China last December, while approximately 2.75 lakh people have lost their lives. However, nearly 13 lakh people have recovered too, including nearly 2 lakh in the US and over 1.4 lakh in Germany. Germany and South Korea are among those countries that have been seen as having successfully avoided large number of deaths by their extensive testing and contact tracing measures. But, worries mounted on Saturday about fresh outbreaks in both the countries following various lockdown relaxations, thus raising the risks associated with reopening of economies. In India also some relaxations have been given from the nationwide lockdown, which has been in place since March 25 and is scheduled to end on May 17 as of now. The Goa government may allow holding of music classes and reopening of some state-run libraries in a phased manner on the condition of maintaining strict social distancing norms, the state's Art and Culture Minister Govind Gawade said on Saturday. Goa is classified as a green zone with no coronavirus positive case as of now. Special trains and buses are also being run to help lakhs of migrant workers reach their native places, while special flights are bringing back Indians stranded abroad. But the ongoing lockdown is also estimated to have hit the economic hard with several experts forecasting zero to very low GDP growth for the current fiscal, while a few have even forecast a decline in the GDP if the lockdown restrictions continue longer. While fuel prices have already been hiked, an industry body of real estate developers said cement and steel rates have increased by 40-50 per cent in the last few weeks and alleged price cartelisation and unfair trade practices by their manufacturers. Some industrial establishments have begun opening their facilities as per the available relaxations. Among other companies, Hyundai Motor India said its Chennai-based manufacturing facility rolled out 200 cars on the first day of resuming production on Friday. Tamil Nadu reported four more deaths during the day, taking its death toll to 44, while 526 more people tested positive for the virus to take its tally to over 6,500. In the national capital also, 224 new COVID-19 cases were recorded to take its tally to 6,542. In Delhi, there was also confusion over the death toll as the data from the four hospitals showed more fatalities than the number reported by the Delhi government. Delhi's Health Minister Satyendar Jain said there is no reason to hide anything and not a single case will go unaccounted for, but gave no explanation for the discrepancy. There has been a mismatch in the numbers of West Bengal also for several days with the state government's figures being lower than that of the Union Health Ministry. On the outskirts of the national capital, Noida reported its second COVID-19 death while its total cases rose to 216. The overall figure for Uttar Pradesh also rose. Rajasthan recorded 76 more cases, while 36 new cases were detected in Karnataka too. In Bihar, five Bihar Military Police (BMP) personnel tested positive, taking the total number of COVID-19 cases in the state to 579. In Assam, a dental college student's test came positive. The Union Health Ministry has also revised its policy for discharge of COVID-19 patients under which only those developing severe illness or having compromised immunity will have to test negative through RT-PCR test before being discharged by a hospital. Moderate cases of COVID-19 and pre-symptomatic, mild and very mild cases need not undergo tests before being discharged after resolution of their symptoms. According to the rules till now, a patient was considered fit to be discharged if he or she tested negative on day 14 and then again in a span of 24 hours. PLB SLB KIS RPS SDA KSU AR DG MSS MJH GJS DC VIJ BJBJ

COVID-19: Nationwide tally crosses 60k; Fresh outbreaks abroad raise concerns over lockdown easing

<ul><li>The 24-hour bandh began at 6 am and is expected to observe participation from over 25 crore workers.</li><li>Banking operations across the country will be hit as some <keyword id="144835" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bank-Unions">bank unions</keyword> would be joining the <keyword id="187037" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nationwide-strike">nationwide strike</keyword>.</li><li>The union representatives say that Tamil Nadu and Kerala have been affected the most so far due to the agitation as unions began a nationwide strike across the country. </li><li>In many states, auto and taxi drivers have decided to keep off the roads.</li></ul><keyword id="418098" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="central-trade-unions">Central trade unions</keyword> are on a nationwide strike today to protest against various policies of the central government, from privatisations of public sector banks to new labour and farm laws. An estimated 25 crore workers are participating in the day-long strike called by ten central trade unions. <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;"><colgroup></colgroup><col /><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Ten central trade unions that are a part of the nationwide strike </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS) </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">All India United Trade Union Centre (AIUTUC) </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Trade Union Coordination Centre (TUCC) </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Labour Progressive Federation (LPF) </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.9907650000000001pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">United Trade Union Congress (UTUC) </td></tr></tbody></table> “The strike has begun. Kerala and Tamil Nadu are completely shut down. A similar situation is also developing in Odisha, Punjab, Haryana, Telangana and Goa. There is also a good response to the strike in Maharashtra,” AITUC General Secretary Amarjeet Kaur told PTI. What are they demanding? <ul><li>Unions have asked the Centre to provide 200 days’ work in a year at enhanced wages under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme.</li><li>Withdrawal of anti-farmer and anti-worker labour codes.</li><li>Scrapping of the National Pension System (NPS)</li><li>Restoration of the earlier pension scheme with improvement in EPS-95 </li></ul>They are also standing in solidarity with the farmers’ protest that has been gathering attention over the past few months. In a recent development, the Punjab farmers started assembling in large numbers as part of their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march to protest the Centre’s new farm laws. <div type="image" title="Bharat Bandh 2" msid="79423784" hostid="261"></div> Bracing overnight rains and chilly winds, thousands of protesting farmers on Thursday assembled at various places along the Haryana borders in Punjab. A huge contingent of police comprising the Rapid Action Force has been deployed to deal with any untoward situation. Banking operations hindered by the nationwide strike Banking operations across the country were impacted on Thursday with some bank unions joining the nationwide strike. Many lenders, including IDBI Bank and Bank of Maharashtra, in regulatory filings on Wednesday, said their normal working could be affected at the branches and offices. The All India Bank Employees’ Association (AIBEA), All India Bank Officers Association (AIBOA) and Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI) are participating in the strike. The association represents majority of the banks, except State Bank of India (SBI) and Indian Overseas Bank. It has four lakh bank employees from various public and old private sectors. Tamil Nadu and Kerala have been affected the most The union representatives said that Tamil Nadu and Kerala have been affected the most so far due to the agitation as unions began a nationwide strike across the country. <div type="image" title="Bharat Bandh 3" msid="79423793" hostid="261"></div> “Visakhapatnam steel plant is affected due to the strike. Besides, the majority of workers in coal mines are also on strike. The work at copper plants, port and dock area are also affected. Delhi industrial areas are closed down. Workers would protest at Jantar Mantar,” Kaur said. The strike affects everyday life in West Bengal Normal life was partially affected in parts of West Bengal as mostly activists of CPI(M)- affiliated outfits like CITU and DYFI, brought out rallies in Jadavpur, Garia, Kamalgazi, Lake Town and Dumdum areas in and around Kolkata; disrupting traffic and asking shopkeepers to pull down the shutters of their establishments. A large police contingent was deployed to ensure normal plying of vehicles. Bandh enforcers also blocked roads in Coochbehar and Jhargram districts, burning tyres and breaking the windscreen of buses. The members of the Communist Party of India Liberation, CPI(M), and Congress also blocked the railway tracks in Jadavpur. The strike affects normal life across the country In many states, auto and taxi drivers have decided to keep off the roads. The federations of railway and defence employees have decided to have large mobilisation on Thursday to express solidarity with the striking workers. Workers in the unorganised sector such as domestic workers, construction workers, beedi workers, hawkers, vendors, agricultural workers, self-employed in rural and urban areas have also decided to come on to the streets for ‘chakka jam’,<a href="https://newsgile.com/2020/11/25/trade-unions-to-go-on-nationwide-strike-on-nov-26-25-crore-workers-to-take-part/"> the joint forum</a> of Independent Sectoral Federations and Associations in the central and state government employees said. <div type="image" title="b03b7ab747085dc06477f97db9cdc1dc" msid="79423824" hostid="261"></div> Demonstration across Odisha The Members of Odisha Nirmana Sramik Federation, All India Central Council of Trade Unions and All Orissa Petrol and Diesel Pump Workers Union held demonstrations across Odisha against the centre's new labour laws. (with inputs from agencies) SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/us-stocks-dip-from-record-levels-on-disappointing-economic-data-and-soaring-covid-19-cases/articleshow/79418413.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">US stocks dip from record levels on disappointing economic data and soaring COVID-19 cases</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sports/news/diego-maradona-one-of-the-greatest-stars-in-soccer-history-has-died-at-the-age-of-60/articleshow/79414628.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Diego Maradona, one of the greatest stars in soccer history, has died at the age of 60</a>

Bharat Bandh: Here’s how the nationwide strike by trade unions is affecting the daily life of citizens

<ul><li>For <keyword id="18996" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="World-Environment-Day">World Environment Day</keyword>, UP government and UN Environment have launched an action plan to control <keyword id="55910" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-Pollution">air pollution</keyword> in <keyword id="6356295" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="agra">Agra</keyword>.</li><li>Agra is one of the most polluted cities in the world, and this has had a direct impact on the city’s historic <keyword id="6355354" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="taj-mahal">Taj Mahal</keyword>. </li><li>One of the <keyword id="1257564" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Seven-Wonders-of-the-World">seven wonders of the world</keyword>, the Taj Mahal has been subject to discolouration because of air pollution.</li></ul>Right before World Environment Day, the city of Agra woke up to take action against rising pollution. Now, the government of Uttar Pradesh along with <a href="https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/press-release/city-taj-mahal-agra-launches-action-plan-combat-air-pollution">UN Environment</a>, is set to implement a comprehensive action plan to control air pollution, which will also protect the Taj Mahal. The city is home to Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world. This majestic monument came under dire stress as Agra became the eighth most polluted city in the world. The beautiful white marble facade of Taj Mahal is <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-pollution-india-tajmahal/pollution-turns-indias-white-marble-taj-mahal-yellow-and-green-idUSKCN1IN01S">reportedly</a> turning yellow and green, facing discolouration, due to air pollution. Not just that, the huge <a href="https://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-india-taj-mahal-20180522-story.html">mounds</a> of garbage lying on the banks of Yamuna where the historic monument is located, has led to an infestation of insects around the Taj Mahal. These factors have turned tourists wary of visiting the monument. Otherwise, it is known to draw interesting onlookers in hoards, from around the world. The extensive smog which covers the tomb that dates back to the 17th century, during winters is not helping either. An action plan Now, the state government along with the UN Environment rolled out the action plan which will now control –vehicle emissions, crop residue, garbage and municipal solid waste burning along with industrial emissions. Moreover, the government of Uttar Pradesh now plans to deploy 650 electric buses. A large number of international organizations are lending a hand too. “To help deal with Agra’s mounting plastic waste, Massive Fund proposed a project of $30 million under the Alliance to End Plastic, to eliminate more than 90 percent of plastic waste from Agra. Waste management firm Geocycle further proposed to pilot a technology to clean up the Yamuna river in Agra. Kanoria Industries plans to invest ₹150 billion for sustainability related activities in the city,” stated the report by UN Environment. See Also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/world-resource-institute-report-revealed-india-has-lost-its-forest-cover-four-times-the-size-of-goa/articleshow/69056803.cms">India lost more than a million hectares of forest cover in 17 years — that’s more than four times the size of Goa </a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/fed-up-of-pollution-more-than-35-of-residents-in-indias-capital-say-they-want-to-move-out-permanently-survey/articleshow/66630699.cms">Fed up of pollution, more than 35% of residents in India’s capital say they want to move out permanently: Survey</a>

The fading beauty of Taj Mahal will get a soothing touch on World Environment Day

New Delhi, May 3 () Jet fuel (ATF) prices have been slashed by a steep 23 per cent in line with a slump in international oil prices and it now costs about one-third of petrol and diesel whose rates continue to be frozen for the 50th day on Sunday. Aviation turbine fuel (ATF) price has been cut by Rs 6,812.62 per kilolitre, or 23.2 per cent, to Rs 22,544.75 per kl in the national capital, according to a price notification by state-owned oil marketing companies. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="75463339" title="Double whammy for India’s travel aggregators – bookings have stopped but refunds come out of their own pockets" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> ATF, which is used as a fuel in aeroplanes, now costs less than one-third of the price of petrol used in cars and two-wheelers. A litre of petrol in Delhi comes for Rs 69.59 while jet fuel is priced at Rs 22.54 per litre. Diesel, used mostly in trucks, buses and tractors, is priced at Rs 62.29 per litre. In fact, even market priced or non-subsidised kerosene is much cheaper than petrol and diesel after its rates were cut 13.3 per cent to Rs 39,678.47 per kl (Rs 39.67 per litre), according to the notification. This the steepest cut ever and sixth reduction in ATF prices since February. Since February, jet fuel prices have been cut by almost two-thirds. ATF price in Delhi before the reduction cycle began in February was Rs 64,323.76 per kl and now costs Rs 22,544.75 per kl. Similar reduction has been effected in other metro cities as well. While the oil PSUs have regularly revised ATF prices, they have since March 16 kept petrol and diesel prices on hold ostensibly on account of extreme volatility in the international oil markets. Petrol and diesel prices were frozen soon after the government raised excise duty on the two fuels by Rs 3 per litre each to mop up gains arising from falling international rates. Oil companies, instead of passing on the excise hike to consumers, decided to adjust them against the reduction required because of the drop in international oil prices. They used the same tool and did not pass on the Re 1 per litre hike required for switching over to ultra-clean BS-VI grade fuel from April 1. Market analysts, however, said the same volatility was witnessed in ATF prices as well but that has not stopped the oil companies from passing on the cut to airlines. More importantly, no airline has been operating since mid-March in view of restrictions placed to check the spread of coronavirus, yet oil companies have continued to revise downward jet fuel prices. In fact, oil companies used to revise ATF prices on the 1st of every month but they on March 21 adopted fortnightly revisions to pass on the benefit of falling international oil prices to the airlines. Even non-PDS or market priced kerosene cost has seen rate reduction similar to ATF. It was priced at Rs 65,815.47 per kl in January. Though the government had deregulated petrol and diesel prices, rate changes have been in the past put on hold by public sector oil companies Indian Oil Corp (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) for reasons that appear to be non-commercial. There was a 19-day price freeze on petrol and diesel ahead of the Karnataka polls in May 2018 despite international fuel prices going up by nearly USD 5 a barrel. However, no sooner were the elections over, they rapidly passed on to customers the desired increase -- over 16-straight days post-May 14, 2018, petrol price climbed by Rs 3.8 per litre and diesel by Rs 3.38. Similarly, they had stopped revising fuel prices for almost 14 days ahead of the assembly elections in Gujarat in December 2017. These companies had also imposed a freeze on petrol and diesel prices between January 16, 2017, and April 1, 2017, when assembly elections in five states -- Punjab, Goa, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Manipur -- were held. During the 2019 general elections, they moderated the revision by not passing on all of the desired increase in rates to consumers, industry sources said. And rates began to rise a day after the final phase of polling for Lok Sabha elections ended. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/covid-19-effect-spicejet-to-pay-part-salaries-to-over-92-pc-employees-in-april/articleshow/75468627.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">COVID-19 effect: SpiceJet to pay part salaries to over 92% employees in April</a>

Jet fuel now costs less than a third of diesel price in India

(Eds: Updating with details of death of patient) New Delhi, Mar 13 () A 68-year-old woman in Delhi became the country's second victim of <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword> on Friday as several states went into battle mode to contain the spread of COVID-19, shutting down schools, theatres and colleges, and many public events, including the IPL, were postponed. The Union Health ministry put the number of positive cases at 82, eight more since Thursday night, which includes the woman and a 76-year-old man from Karnataka who became the country's first coronavirus fatality besides 17 foreign nationals, Health Ministry officials said. Health Ministry and Delhi government officials said the woman came in contact with her son, the fifth case of coronavirus in the national capital, with a history travel history to Switzerland and Italy between February 5 and 22. Her death was caused due to co-morbidity (diabetes and hypertension), they said, adding she had tested positive for COVID-19. The woman was admitted in Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, officials said. Cases of the infection have been reported from at least 11 states and territories, including Delhi, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Kerala, where three patients were discharged last month after they recovered. Addressing reporters, officials said coronavirus -- a pandemic that has infected 1,31,500 people in 116 countries and territories and killed more than 4,900 -- is not a health emergency and there is no need to panic. They said India has evacuated 1,031 people, including from Maldives, US, Madagascar and China. The Centre has also decided to allow international traffic only through 19 border checkposts out of 37 and continue the suspension of Indo-Bangladesh cross border passenger trains and buses till April 15, or earlier, if so decided. Officials disclosed that 42,000 people across the country are under community surveillance. Taking stock of the situation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed a video conference of SAARC leaders to chalk out a joint strategy and set an example for the world. "Our planet is battling the COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus. At various levels, governments and people are trying their best to combat it," Modi said on Twitter. South Asia, which is home to a significant number of the global population, should leave no stone unturned to ensure that the people are healthy, he said. Amid speculation over the ongoing Budget Session being shortened, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi told , "There is no question of curtailing the session." While states such as Karnataka, Odisha, Delhi and Bihar went into virtual shutdown mode, the under-pressure BCCI suspended the start of this year's IPL cricket tournament from March 29 to April 15. "The Board of Control for Cricket in India has decided to suspend IPL 2020 till 15th April 2020, as a precautionary measure against the ongoing Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19) situation," BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in a statement. The statement made it clear that it's a "suspension" and "not postponement", which means there is no clarity on whether the event will start on April 15. Even if it starts on April 15, it is expected to happen behind closed doors without the fans. The decision came hours after the Delhi government, which on Thursday announced that schools, colleges and cinema halls would be closed till March 31, sad it was also stopping all sports gatherings, including IPL 2020. Sisodia said district magistrates have been asked to ensure that all directives pertaining to coronavirus are implemented. A day after the country's first <keyword id="8652425" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Coronavirus-death">coronavirus death</keyword> was reported from Kalaburagi in the state, the Karnataka government announced a lock-down of malls, cinema theatres, pubs and night clubs for a week. Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa also issued instructions to stop all kinds of exhibitions, summer camps, conferences, marriage events and birthday parties. "We will close all universities for a week in the entire state," he told reporters. Tech giant Google confirmed that an employee of its Bengaluru office, who had returned from Greece, was diagnosed with COVID-19. In Kalaburagi town, 46 people who were in direct contact with the 76-year old man who died on Tuesday night were placed under quarantine, district officials said, adding that 31 were categorised as "high risk" and 13 as "low risk". Four family members of the man have displayed flu symptoms and their swab samples have been sent for testing. In Odisha, the Naveen Patnaik government announced that educational institutions would be closed till March 31 but provided an exception for holding exams. He said the government has earmarked Rs 200 crore to combat the coronavirus threat and declared COVID-19 a "disaster". Non-essential official gatherings such as seminars, workshops and conferences are to be cancelled, Patnaik said. Social gatherings and assemblies like religious functions, marriage receptions and parties will be regulated by local authorities. Cinema halls, swimming pools and gyms in the state will be closed as well. Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi University and Jamia Millia Islamia suspended classes in Delhi. Other universities such as Jindal University in Sonepat in Haryana announced the university would be open but there would be no classes till March 29. As concern mounted, people scrambled to change their travel plans. At an Air India office in Delhi, for instance, there were crowds of people waiting to change their tickets. Aviation watchdog DGCA has asked international airlines to consider waiving ticket cancellation and reschedule charges or look at providing any other incentives. States which had not reported any case were also on alert. Schools, colleges, coaching institutes, zoos and parks in Bihar will be shut till March 31 over the coronavirus threat, an official said. Vishwajit Rane, health minister in the tourism hub of Goa, said the government will issue a circular asking hotels and industries to take preventive measures in the wake of the coronavirus scare. In all this, there was some good news. All 112 people admitted to an ITBP quarantine facility in Delhi for over a fortnight tested negative for the coronavirus. All of them were evacuated last month from Wuhan in China. TEAM MIN ZMN

Delhi became the country's second victim of coronavirus

<ul><li>EaseMyTrip recently appointed <keyword id="31515" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vijay-raaz" source="Orion">Vijay Raaz</keyword> and <keyword id="337442" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="varun-sharma" source="Orion">Varun Sharma</keyword> as its first-ever brand ambassadors to expand its reach across the country.</li><li>As the travel platform launches its campaign with new ambassadors and rolls out its marketing blitzkrieg, we speak to <keyword id="6106039" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nishant-pitti" source="Orion">Nishant Pitti</keyword>, CEO and Co-Founder, EaseMyTrip about the idea behind choosing Vijay and Varun, platform’s game plan to deal with COVID and macro-economic changes that might come in our way and larger vision.</li></ul>Six days into 2022 and brands and organisations are planning to completely return to work-from-home model and prepare for the impending wave of COVID-19 and macro-economic challenges that it might bring along. The economic impact of the third wave might not be as devastating as the second wave, but it might take a toll on the hospitality industry yet again. If the government strengthens lockdown restrictions across the country in the coming days, the hospitality sector might face a recap of 2020. However, home-grown hospitality and travel brand EaseMyTrip witnessed a six-fold growth in revenue during the peak of the second wave and on the back of its ‘flexible and lean business model,’it is optimistic about maintaining its financial health in 2022 as well. With its first-ever brand ambassadors in Vijay Raaz and Varun Sharma and a slew of customer-centric initiatives such as zero-convenience fee, full refund on medical grounds, discounted air tickets for train waitlisted customers, EaseMyTrip has entered this year all guns blazing! So, to discuss what lies ahead, Advertising and Media caught up with Nishant Pitti, CEO and Co-Founder, EaseMyTrip. He told us about his game plan for the platform in 2022, larger vision, marketing strategy and a lot more. Q. Can you tell us how 2021 was for EaseMyTrip and the travel industry? In FY20-21, we almost doubled our profits and this was despite halving of Gross Booking Revenue in a pandemic struck year. In Q4 of FY21, we witnessed a V-shaped recovery, registering almost 89% of the gross booking revenue of the corresponding quarter in the previous fiscal. Additionally, Q1FY22 was one of the worst periods for the travel industry due to the second wave, however, we grew our profits six-fold to more than Rs 15 crore in Q1FY22 as against a net profit of Rs 2.5 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal. This makes us one of the few companies to be profitable in the industry that has been the worst impacted in the country in the quarter of April- June’21. We have been able to maintain our profitability through the pandemic as we have been flexible and maintained a lean business model, which has been the key driver in maintaining financial health. For the travel industry, the year started well as there was a strong demand. However, the second wave struck soon after, which led to a fall in travel demand. The second wave had impacted the entire tourism industry. However, the strong vaccination drive helped in lowering active cases and the industry was seeing a recovery again. The festive season further pushed travel demand as people were comfortable travelling and had adapted to the travel norms. The rise in travel bookings during this festive period was a clear sign of the underlying pent up travel demand and the growing sentiment among travellers to venture out for leisure travel. We believe that the sector has been able to weather the storm as a lull period was followed by strong growth in demand. We also witnessed a rise in travellers from smaller cities and towns which eventually led to a rise in passenger traffic and demand. Q. You have recently onboarded your first-ever brand ambassadors. Firstly, why did you think this was a good time to bring on the actors and what was the thought behind choosing Varun and Vijay? We have been witnessing strong growth, even during the pandemic, and we have been constantly innovating and providing value to the consumer. As a result, we believe that now is the right time for branding and to get more people to know about EaseMyTrip. EaseMyTrip has always believed in leveraging relevant and meaningful avenues for brand connect and this association is in-line with the same brand philosophy. We believe that Varun Sharma and Vijay Raaz are unique actors who have superb comic timing and have created a niche in the market based on their unique performances. They have a unique mass appeal that cuts across all audiences and geographies. We have consciously chosen two unique actors from two different generations as we believe that an association with both of them will help us reach our overall target audience efficiently. The association with Varun and Vijay are in sync with the brand as just like these ace actors, EaseMyTrip too has established itself and gained market share purely based on performance to date. Q. After onboarding your first-ever brand ambassadors, what are you eyeing to achieve from this partnership? The country is witnessing a growing air traffic demand, even from smaller cities now. A significant chunk of these people are digital savvy and prefer doing online bookings. Through this unique marketing campaign, we are trying to reach out to those customers and with the explosion of the internet and online booking, we believe that it is the right time to do so. Additionally, the company has aggressive plans to grow its business with a slew of customer-centric initiatives including the zero-convenience fee, full refund on medical grounds, discounted air tickets for train waitlisted customers, and many more. We believe that this initiative provides us with an opportunity to make more travellers aware of these unique initiatives and grow our customer base. Q. What is your larger marketing strategy? How will your messaging change, if at all, now that you have new brand ambassadors onboard? We aim to cater to the pent-up demand via cross-selling to the huge customer base by promoting the same aggressively across all marketing platforms. We are confident that this pent-up demand will continue to grow. We also aim to continue with our record growth across businesses and grow our market share. We emphasize high ROI marketing spending and instead of opting for very high marketing budgets, we try to source relevant platforms that can gain the maximum interest of our customers. We will continue to move in that direction in 2022 as well. While we have onboarded brand ambassadors, we do not expect our messaging to change. We have always maintained a strong messaging and unique proposition of customer centricity and consistent performance, and our brand ambassadors will continue to take that proposition ahead. Q. Which advertising medium will get your lion's share this year? With people resuming travel, we are expecting a lot more marketing efforts and initiatives in the coming year. The industry is slowly recovering, and we believe that this is the right time for us to strengthen marketing efforts and customer outreach. Seeing a recovery of the industry, in the past year, we have used big-ticket events such as IPL as well as full-page advertisements across national newspapers for marketing initiatives and will continue to explore interesting initiatives this year as well. This year, we plan to release innovative and exciting marketing efforts across digital, print and outdoor media. With the growth in passenger traffic, we will also continue to actively use in-flight branding space, as well as boarding passes as essential touchpoints for travellers. Q. What are some of the trends that you are expecting to see in the travel industry this year? In 2022, we expect a few prominent trends to surface, which are set to be at the forefront of the travel industry. 2022 is set to witness a rise in travel spending by people as they are now, more than ever, ready to take those once-in-a-lifetime trips that they always wanted to embark on. In 2022, we are also expecting more travellers to prefer locations that are adopting sustainable tourism practices as many travellers have woken up to the benefits and the need of sustainable tourism in a post-covid scenario. Technology is also being implemented in a big way in the tourism industry and travellers are showing a higher preference for places that incorporate smart technology. In 2022, the travel industry is expected to move further into a digital shift and adopt newer platforms and technologies that enable travellers to travel seamlessly. Due to the safety concerns, we are expecting a rise in demand for unique, unexplored destinations, short weekend getaways and road trips to nearby tourist destinations. Reunion travel is set to be a major trend next year as people look to reconnect with family by taking a quick getaway trip. As an aftermath of the pandemic, there will also be a rise in the number of people that are opting for short getaways that offer wellness and self-care activities. In 2022, travellers are set to showcase an increased preference for locations that have a focus on wellness activities that help them rejuvenate, take a break away from the monotony of their daily lives and lead healthier lives. Q. How did the consumer sentiment change in December and what's it usually like in January? Travel this month is majorly focused on safety. There has been a significant shift in the mindset of travellers towards health and hygiene, and the services provided by travel companies regarding this, make a significant impact on the decision making. While there are safety concerns right now, the travel sentiment of customers is still strong. There is an underlying pent-up travel demand, which is expected to lead to a growth in revenge travel. We are also ensuring safety and hygiene for our customers with the help of our airlines and hotel partners. Q. We're at that time of the year when people are normally in the mood to travel. What are some of the tourist hotspots in India this year? Have consumers shown any interest in traveling to places they wouldn’t have thought of visiting earlier? The tourist destinations that have been in demand and that we expect to be tourist hotspots this year as well include Kashmir, Goa, Jaipur, Leh and Srinagar. With safety concerns, the demand for unique, unexplored domestic destinations has also shot up in the past few months, and a lot more unheard domestic destinations will come to the fore in the coming months. Q. In India, we love saving a little extra on hotels while traveling to a different city -- a lot of people in India prefer staying at a relative's place. Has that trend changed after COVID? Yes, we believe that this trend has changed as people have witnessed the high levels of sanitisations and safety protocols undertaken by hotels since the pandemic. Since the pandemic there has been an increased emphasis on safety and sanitization within the travel industry and enhanced health screenings have become the new normal across all travel segments. As a leading travel portal, we also provide all the sanitization protocols that each hotel follows, to ensure that the travellers are aware of the practices followed. This provides them with a sense of relief during this period as safety and hygiene has become a top priority in the current period, which is not guaranteed at a relative’s place. In fact, during the pandemic, there has been an increase in 4 and 5-star hotel bookings as compared to the pre-pandemic period as people would want a better level of sanitization at this time. The average duration of the stay has also gone up from 3.2 days to 4.7 days. While hotels and apartments have performed well, we have also seen an increased demand for private villas and homestays as customers find them more secure and safe during these unprecedented times. Q. Can you tell us what would be some of your focus areas in 2022? The company plans to focus heavily on its hotel and holiday package businesses and expand in the existing markets. We are working proactively to cater to the increased demand that we foresee. We will look at enhancing the revenues and profitability going forward by leveraging our existing base of customers for cross-selling. We also plan on leveraging our vast agent network and utilizing it for the holiday bookings which shall complement the company’s hotel and holiday businesses. Apart from the Indian market, we are present across UAE, Singapore, UK, Philippines, Thailand, and the USA. We want to establish our air ticketing business in these countries as we have forayed into these new countries anticipating a huge pent-up travel demand. In the coming year, we plan to launch a localized travel search engine in each global subsidiary to strengthen our offerings within each country. We may also look to expand to more viable countries if we see a strong performance and value addition from our existing global subsidiaries. Q. What is your larger vision for the platform? We aim to continue with the record growth with increased revenue margins and market share. We have been extremely bullish in the air segment and expect to become the number one player in the air segment in the next three to four years. While air travel bookings constitute around 95% of our revenues, we are also growing our non-air travel businesses including hotels, buses, trains and holidays in double digits. We are also looking to expand our services across Tier 2 and 3 cities as we have been witnessing a rise in air ticket bookings in these cities. All in all, we are aiming to be the preferred booking partner for all travellers across the country.

Our association with Vijay Raaz and Varun Sharma will help us reach our overall target audience more efficiently: Nishant Pitti of EaseMyTrip

(Eds: Combining related stories) New Delhi, May 15 () The nationwide tally of confirmed COVID-19 cases crossed 85,000 on Friday with more people testing positive for the deadly virus infection from Kashmir to Kerala and from Karnataka to Bihar, even as indications emerged about greater relaxations in the fourth phase of the lockdown beginning Monday to contain economic costs of the pandemic. Going by the numbers declared by different states and union territories, India has now surpassed China's official tally of 82,933 confirmed COVID-19 cases. Though some new cases have emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan -- the epicentre of the deadly virus -- less than 100 people are now undergoing treatment across China, which recorded 4,633 deaths due to COVID-19 but more than 78,000 have been discharged after recovery, as per their official data. Globally, more than 3 lakh people have died and nearly 45 lakh have tested positive for the deadly virus since its emergence in Wuhan last December. While China and several other countries have begun reopening their economies, fresh concerns have begun mounting about a possible re-emergence of the virus. India is now the 11th most affected nation in the world, but each one of the top-ten have one lakh or more cases. The US tops the charts with more than 14 lakh cases, followed by Russia, UK, Spain, Italy and Brazil with over 2 lakh cases each; and France, Germany, Turkey and Iran having over 1 lakh cases each. In its morning 8 AM update, the Union Health Ministry said the death toll due to COVID-19 across India has risen to 2,649 and the number of cases has climbed to 81,970, registering an increase of 100 deaths and 3,967 cases in the last 24 hours since Thursday morning. There are more than 51,000 active cases, while nearly 28,000 have recovered, giving a recovery rate of over 34 per cent. However, a tally of numbers reported by states and UTs, as of 9 PM, put the total number of confirmed cases across the country much higher at 85,538. This also showed at least 2,679 deaths and nearly 30,000 recoveries. Jammu &amp; Kashmir, Bihar and Karnataka breached the 1,000-mark in terms of the number of people having tested positive, while testing and containment measures were ramped up in places like, Kerala, Goa and Manipur that were being seen as being mostly virus-free till a few days back. Even a quarantine centre had to be sealed in Manipur. On the other hand, large numbers of cases continued to get detected in big urban clusters. Maharashtra, the most-affected state, reported 1,576 new cases to take its tally to 29,100, while its death toll rose to 1,068. Tamil Nadu crossed the 10,000 mark with 434 new cases, while Gujarat saw 340 more people testing positive to push its tally to 9,932. According to the Union Health Ministry, 30 municipal areas account for 79 per cent of India's coronavirus infection caseload. At a meeting of a group of ministers chaired by Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, it was stressed that the focus of COVID-19 management strategy needs to be on the states with the highest number of confirmed cases and fatalities. Also, focus is needed on treatment and case fatality management, for which timely detection and contact tracing were the best way forward. The Finance Ministry in the meantime unveiled the third booster dose, mainly consisting of measures aimed at helping farmers and for reforms in agriculture and allied sectors, of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Rs 20 lakh crore 'special package' for making India self-reliant in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Modi said the third tranche will help the rural economy and boost farmers' income. India has been under a lockdown since March 25, which was initially scheduled to end on April 14 but has got extended twice -- first till May 3 and then till May 17 with some relaxations. A final decision on the fourth phase is expected soon, but officials said there could be greater relaxations and more flexibility for states and union territories while measures being explored include gradual reopening of the railways and domestic airlines. Schools, colleges, malls and cinema halls may not be allowed to open anywhere in the country, but salons, barber shops and optical shops may be allowed everywhere barring COVID-19 containment areas. E-retailers may be allowed to deliver non-essential items too. Final guidelines will be issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs after going through the suggestions of various state governments. During his last interaction with chief ministers, Modi had asked them to submit their suggestions by May 15. According to officials, Punjab, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Assam and Telangana want the lockdown to continue, while some states have sought powers to decide the zoning of districts -- green, orange and red -- as per the COVID-19 situation. This request of the state governments may be accepted so that they can restrict or allow movement of people or economic activities in a particular place depending on the ground situation, an official told . Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his address to the nation on Monday, had said that the lockdown 4.0 will have a "completely different form", with new rules. "No state wants complete withdrawal of lockdown but all want gradual resumption of economic activities," the official said. Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka are among some states which are not in favour of complete resumption of train and air services, at least till May-end. The railways have already started special trains to 15 destinations from Delhi and have been running several hundred 'Shramik Special' trains from different parts of the country to various places for transportation of migrant workers stranded due to the lockdown. Air India is also engaged in evacuation of thousands of Indians stranded abroad during the lockdown under the 'Vande Bharat Mission'. However, there have been cases of people testing positive after reaching their native places using these trains and flights. Officials said local trains, buses and metro services may start running with limited capacity in non-containment areas of red zones. Autos and taxis are also expected to be allowed in all zones with restrictions on the number of passengers, barring areas identified as 'containment zones'. Maharashtra has favoured strict lockdown measures in Mumbai, its suburbs and Pune, and a complete ban on inter-state and inter-district transport. However, Gujarat wants resumption of economic activities in major urban centres. Delhi, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala have also favoured opening up of economic activities. Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha, which have seen a spike in the COVID-19 cases after arrival of migrant workers, want the lockdown to continue with strict curbs on movement of people. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has urged Modi not to open state boundaries for the next few months, except for migrants or essential services. Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said the state has written to the Centre urging extension of the lockdown by two more weeks. Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said the Centre may announce many relaxations in the lockdown after May 17. The Arunachal Pradesh government has decided to resume state transport bus service to various destinations from May 18, while the Haryana Roadways has already resumed bus services on select routes within the state. PLB PM ACB SKC DP MJH ANZ TR KSU UPL SUN VSD ENM NAB BJBJBJ

COVID-19: India surpasses China tally with 85,000 confirmed cases; Bihar, K'taka, J&K cross 1k mark

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/51311545.cms" />The headline is not misleading at all. It has finally been decoded what a woman really wants, at least a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=women+travellers">woman traveller</a>. 
 
These days, be it solo or in groups, many women are <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=tourism">travelling</a> and exploring the world. They want to undertake every expedition and leave no stone unturned to satisfy the travelling bug in them. 
 
But, while undertaking the adventures, women are also mindful of safety and sanitations issues. So, on Women’s Day, HolidayIQ conducted a survey on expectations and insights on “What Women Want” while travelling. 
 
READ ALSO: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Womens-Day-Pay-Parity-is-a-joke-The-reality-is-shocking/articleshow/51305041.cms">Women’s Day: Pay Parity is a joke. The reality is shocking</a> 
 
READ ALSO: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/What-women-leaders-say-about-being-a-woman-in-the-21st-century/articleshow/51304633.cms">What women leaders say about being a woman in the 21st century</a> 
 
READ ALSO: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/I-am-a-woman-but-before-that-a-person-who-refuses-to-be-categorised/articleshow/51311051.cms">I am a woman, but before that, a person who refuses to be categorised</a> 
 
The survey saw more than 20,000 participants from over 30 Indian cities and towns. 
 
So here are 8 things that women want 
 
Safe solo travel: 72% women demanded <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=women+safety">safety measures</a> while going alone. Women travelling alone in India have increased with a share of 29% of holidays planned as compared to 18% the previous year. 
 
Better Access to Remote Destinations: Travelling women seek rare experiences and 61% feel the necessity for better accessibility to remote destinations. While they are heading out on multiple weekend getaways throughout the year, exploring and discovering possibilities for adventure activity holidays around the city. 
 
Clean Buses and Trains - India direly needs a toilet revolution if it needs to bring in revenue from tourism. Of the 2.4 billion people in the world who have no toilets, India accounts for nearly 600m. It was noted that <keyword id="625381" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="women-travellers">women travellers</keyword> are increasingly turning away from train journeys as compared to last year due to the hygiene aspects. 55% of women travellers want clean buses and trains. 
 
More Women Tourist Guides: Tourist guides are no longer a male dominated area. As destinations such as Kerala, Goa, Pondicherry, Manali, Auli, Shimla, Corbett, Bandipur, Coorg are favourites among women travellers; it is imperative to have more women tourist guides. 49% demanded more women tourist guides. 
 
Wi-fi Hubs: Nowadays, travellers expect to be able to use their mobile devices to access travel-related information, to smooth their journey and enhance their experience while on the move. Top three uses for wi-fi is travel research, maps / navigation and access to social media. Today, 47% woman travellers demand for <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=wifi">Wi-Fi</a> hubs as women turn to internet and apps more than people for holiday advice. 
 
Women Taxi Drivers: 45% women look for women taxi drivers as they find it safe and convenient and don’t even mind sharing the ride with a female. 
 
Safe Accommodation options: 61% women want better staying facilities in remote destinations. Hotels and resorts continue to be the popular choice as a holiday accommodation option accounting for over 60% of trips planned. However, in the last 18-24 months there is an interest in alternate accommodation options such as <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=homestay">homestays</a>, experiential resorts, camps, serviced, apartments, jungle lodges and the like. Woman travellers feel that there is a certain comfort level in knowing that you can always find an interesting destination, homestay and other accommodation option in under 60 seconds on the go. 
 
Women Only Buses and Trains: With more Indian woman travelling and while they share their travel experiences of conquering all parts of India, safety and security are a prime concern while planning any kind of holiday. As woman trips continue to gain momentum in 2016 and the average trip length has also increased to be 5 - 7 days’ 28% woman travellers demand woman only transport. 
 
(Image: Thinkstock)

Now we know what women really want

<div class="image-container float_right" style="width:402px"><div class="image"><img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/514873cf69bedd110800000e-523-392/india-bus-crash-rescuers-wreckage.jpg?maxX=402&amp;maxY=301" border="0" alt="india bus crash rescuers wreckage" width="402" height="301" /></div><keyword id="68053" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="AFP">AFP</keyword>Indian rescue workers around the wreckage of a bus after it fell from a bridge south of Mumbai.</div>A speeding bus careered off a river bridge in western <keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> Tuesday, killing 37 people and injuring another 14, police said.
The pre-dawn accident happened in the Khed area of Ratnagiri district in Maharashtra state, 350 kilometres (220 miles) south of the state capital Mumbai.
"The bus was speeding and the driver probably lost control at the turning ahead of the bridge. It is unclear whether the driver was drunk," Mahendra Singh Pardesi, head of the Khed police station, told AFP by telephone.
The bus was travelling from the holiday state of Goa to Mumbai.
Most of the injured, including the driver, sustained head and arm injuries and were undergoing treatment at a local hospital, he said.
Pardesi said there was one foreign tourist on the bus, a Russian woman who escaped without serious injuries.
Images from the scene showed the bus lying on its roof next to a bridge. The vehicle had landed on a dried-up patch of land next to low-lying water in the Jagbudi River.
About 110,000 people were killed in Indian road accidents in 2011 -- more than 300 every day -- according to the last available statistics from the National Crime Records Bureau.
Bad roads, speeding vehicles and poor driving were among the contributing factors, and bus crashes with a double-digit death toll are far from rare.
Tuesday's crash came a day after a senior official revealed that more than 800 people have died in accidents on the Mumbai-Goa highway in the last three years.
Maharashtra's home minister R. R. Patil, in a written reply to a question, told the state legislature Monday that 828 people died and 2,411 were seriously injured between 2010 and the end of 2012, the Press Trust of India reported.
The World Health Organisation's global status report on road safety 2013 found that eight percent of India's road user deaths were drivers or passengers of buses, while 32 percent were riders of motorbikes or three-wheelers.
<div class="nc_footer">
Copyright (2013) AFP. All rights reserved.
</div>

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Our association with Vijay Raaz and Varun Sharma will help us reach our overall target audience more efficiently: Nishant Pitti of EaseMyTrip

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