<ul><li>How the <keyword id="86426" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mumbai-Traffic-police">Mumbai Traffic Police</keyword> took on the honking brigade with some tech and typical Mumbai humour.</li><li>The campaign ‘Punishing Signal’ has been conceptualized by <keyword id="3361020" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="FCB-Interface">FCB Interface</keyword>.</li></ul>Mumbai is one of the noisiest cities in the world. And a lot of this noise can be traced back to cacophony at the signals. Mumbaikars honk even when the signal is red! Needless to say, this noise pollution is making the city alarmingly unhealthy to live in. To tackle this <keyword id="4396938" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="honking-menace">honking menace</keyword>, the Mumbai Traffic Police, in partnership with FCB Interface came up with an innovative solution called The Punishing Signal. 
	<div type="twitter" handle="MumbaiPolice" handlename="Mumbai Police" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/681175613399408640/4oFS6Qqo_normal.jpg" favoritecount="5057" retweetcount="2256" status="Horn not okay, please! Find out how the @MumbaiPolice hit the mute button on #Mumbai’s reckless honkers.… https://t.co/yJn4tf7d4U" createdat="1580442358000" id="1223090017397960705"></div>



 This is how it works. Special decibel meters were connected to traffic signals across the island city. When the decibel exceeded a dangerous 85dB, the signal timer would reset itself... forcing the people to wait longer at the signal! Thus ‘punishing’ them for their impatience with the message, honk more, wait more! “Honking is bad habit and an act of traffic indiscipline. Unfortunately, many Mumbaikars indulge in reckless honking. Honking causes noise pollution, hurts the eardrums, increases heart rate, creates traffic confusion and causes stress. Unnecessary honking is a menace which everyone recognizes but does little to curb. This small experiment is one of many attempts by Mumbai Police to create better road discipline in Mumbai. Hopefully, it will encourage Mumbaikars to honk less, and create a noise-free and stress-free commute,” said Madhukar Pandey, Jt. Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Mumbai Police. As a part of the campaign, the first leg of activation was tested in Mumbai at important junctions that are most prone to heavy traffic such as CSMT, Marine Drive, Peddar Road, Hindmata and Bandra. And the film gives one glimpses of the confused honking Mumbaikars who honked, waited, honked and learnt it the hard way, that honking is not the way out. Shedding light on the creative idea, Robby Mathew, Chief Creative Officer, FCB Interface, said, “Sometimes, the stick works better than the carrot. And a signal that gave us a gentle rap on the knuckles for honking unnecessarily, seemed like a good idea to me”. Adding, Rohit Ohri, Group Chairman and CEO FCB Group, said, “We have been partnering Mumbai Police for many years now. Noise pollution is a big problem in our cities. This new initiative is a fantastic creative solution for bringing about awareness and a behaviour change amongst the drivers in Mumbai.”

Mumbai Traffic Police will now punish you for honking, here is how

<ul><li><keyword id="6123753" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="green-crackers" source="Orion">Green crackers</keyword> claim to have no pollutants like barium nitrate, lithium, aluminum, sulfur and potassium nitrate. </li><li>Delhi has imposed a complete ban on crackers, including green crackers. </li><li>Green crackers with fake QR codes, putting the initiative under scrutiny.</li></ul>With Diwali less than two days away, Indians are gearing up for the festival of lights, some wanting to be eco-friendly by using green crackers. The <keyword id="6354977" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="supreme-court" source="Orion">Supreme court</keyword> of India banned the traditional crackers containing pollution causing barium nitrate back in 2018, promoting the use of green crackers instead. Claiming to be eco-friendly, these green crackers are also more expensive than traditional crackers. “This year we have only 70% of stock as compared to last year because the majority of big cracker brands have supplied less crackers owing to their transition to green crackers. Green crackers use nitrate as compared to other crackers which use barium salts. Nitrates are in short supply so the overall cracker industry is hit, making the limited supply costly,” said Praveen Kumar T from Crackers <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/cracker-of-a-diwali-prices-are-dampener/articleshow/94928223.cms">Mela</a>. In September<a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/delhi-dpcc-notifies-total-ban-on-all-types-of-crackers-till-january-1/articleshow/94279411.cms"> this year</a>, the <keyword id="111875" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="delhi-pollution-control-committee" source="Orion">Delhi Pollution Control Committee</keyword> announced a complete ban on bursting crackers – including green crackers – till January 2023. This is being legally contested by green crackers manufacturers in <a href="https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/firecrackers-ban-in-delhi-diwali-supreme-court-refuses-urgent-listing-211524">Delhi</a>. Assam, <keyword id="20154" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="tamil-nadu" source="Orion">Tamil Nadu</keyword>, Rajasthan have allowed the use of green crackers while West Bengal used green crackers during Durga Puja <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/west-bengal-to-allow-only-green-crackers-during-kali-puja-minister/articleshow/94842651.cms">festivities</a>. Punjab has approved bursting of green crackers for two hours on Diwali. However, the present chemical substances on supposedly green cracker packets have made green crackers an oxymoron for the ₹3,000 crore cracker industry in<a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/indias-fireworks-capital-losing-its-sparkle/article65210796.ece"> India</a>. Are green crackers in reality, green? Need for green crackers in India In May 2019, the Supreme Court approved the use of green crackers to control <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/india/news/what-are-eco-friendly-crackers-and-how-are-they-made/articleshow/71734172.cms">pollution</a>. Green crackers are certified by CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute. During the pandemic last year, the Supreme Court had reinforced its ban on crackers for cities with poor air quality index (AQI). The air quality was more harmful for older citizens and people who have recently recovered from Covid-19. This is especially true for the national capital, where paddy burning from Punjab has made the air thicker and more difficult to breathe. In an interview with <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/people-who-recovered-from-covid-19-should-stay-indoors-on-diwali-doctors/articleshow/87471054.cms">TOI</a>, Dr Mukul Kumar Singh, an epidemiologist at Nalanda Medical College Patna said, “People should avoid fireworks during Diwali, especially those who have asthma, citizens above 60 years of age, small kids or who have recovered from severe symptoms of Covid-19.” Delhi-NCR is already the most polluted region in north India, according to a <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/summer-of-2022-delhi-ncr-most-polluted-in-north-india/articleshow/93763273.cms">report</a> by Center for Science and Environment (CSE) released in May this year. The eco-friendly alternatives during Diwali are green crackers but there are claims dismissing their authenticity. Are green crackers actually green? The promises of green crackers are many- no chemical substances like potassium nitrate, barium nitrate, sulphur, lithium and aluminum, release of water vapor instead for reduction of particulate matter and 30% less emissions. Only <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/only-two-types-of-green-crackers-available-in-delhi-this-diwali/story-u68bUxPtbizLvuMpRFGiHO.html">30</a> government registered manufacturers can sell green crackers in India. Over 2,311 kg of firecrackers were seized ahead of Diwali in Delhi. Upon inspection, not 1 kg was found to be ‘<a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/epaper/delhicapital/2022/oct/21/et-edit/bursting-crackers-causes-suffering/articleshow/94997462.cms">green</a>’. The only way to vaguely test if these crackers are authentic is to check for CSIR-NEERI stamps or QR codes. Another way is to look at the packaging and see if they list chemical ingredients. To analyse the efficacy of these “green” crackers, <keyword id="6398708" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="awaaz-foundation" source="Orion">Awaaz Foundation</keyword> with Maharashtra Pollution Control Board bought a bunch of green crackers ahead of Diwali in Mumbai last year, testing the noise and emission reality of them at RFC ground in <a href="https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/mumbai-ngo-awaaz-foundation-sees-red-over-green-crackers">Chembur</a>. "Few have QR codes alongside the <keyword id="64925" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="csir" source="Orion">CSIR</keyword> NEERI stamp of green crackers but QR codes are not registered to NEERI and are fake. Even banned chemical ‘barium nitrate’ is openly listed on boxes of some packets claimed to be green crackers,” said <keyword id="258939" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="sumaira-abdulali" source="Orion">Sumaira Abdulali</keyword>, convenor of Awaaz Foundation in a <a href="https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/mumbai-ngo-awaaz-foundation-sees-red-over-green-crackers">report</a>. In another <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/489144978/letter-to-aditya-thackeray-firecrackers-december-2020?secret_password=hebbRjGfwaOV57kNgV1k#fullscreen&amp;from_embed">letter</a> dated December 2020, addressed to former environment minister for Maharashtra Aaditya Thackarey, Abdulali wrote, “We found that even the 12 varieties of ‘green crackers’ contained toxic chemicals including the banned barium nitrate, other nitrates and sulfates.” There are other green cracker alternatives by companies like Bombay Greens and Plantable Patakha that turn the cracker paper into a plant but the cost begins from ₹500. The usage of green crackers can thus just be green in colour not in spirit. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/diwali-is-becoming-a-global-celebration-and-cementing-indian-identity-globally/articleshow/95014696.cms">Diwali is becoming a global celebration and cementing Indian identity globally</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/diwali-festive-sales-likely-to-witness-growth-of-60k-crore-rupees-over-2019/articleshow/95023679.cms">'Diwali festive sales likely to witness growth of ₹60K crore rupees over 2019'</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/ril-shareholders-to-get-shares-on-11-basis-in-soon-to-be-listed-jfsl/articleshow/95023780.cms">RIL shareholders to get shares on 1:1 basis in soon to be listed JFSL</a>

How green are green crackers?

Living in a metropolitan Indian city requires an arsenal of products to protect our physical and mental well-being. For instance, it’s not enough to carry good sunscreen; we also need to ensure they last for hours-long delays that Indian public transportation modes are famous for. This is a saddening scenario, especially considering that most of the Indian population relies on public transportation for their daily bread. Therefore, being ranked as one of the worst cities to travel in can be a huge blow and eye-opener for a country like ours. Additionally, since public transportation contributes to a significant portion of total greenhouse gas emissions, having a well-oiled, effective and sustainable public transit system can work wonders for the environment as well. According to a report by the <keyword id="15651220" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="oliver-wyman-forum" source="Orion">Oliver Wyman Forum</keyword> and the <keyword id="73593" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="university-of-california" source="Orion">University of California</keyword>, <keyword id="6358070" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="mumbai" source="Orion">Mumbai</keyword> and <keyword id="66" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="delhi" source="Orion">Delhi</keyword> have been awarded some of the lowest ranks regarding urban mobility in cities. Among 60 cities worldwide, Mumbai and Delhi ranked 52nd and 50th in the 2022 <keyword id="15651221" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="urban-mobility-readiness-index" source="Orion">Urban Mobility Readiness Index</keyword> — an scale that measures how prepared these cities are for “mobility’s next chapter”. Probing deeper, Mumbai ranked the worse out of the two overall, garnering the 52nd, 55th and 41st position out of 60 global cities in the Urban Mobility Readiness Index, <keyword id="3293632" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sustainable-mobility" source="Orion">Sustainable Mobility</keyword> and Public Transit indices, respectively. While Delhi fared slightly better at 50th, 46th and 35th in these categories, respectively, its overall position still remains abysmal. The Public Transit Index measures how well cities are "maintaining mass transit networks and how many people use it." Meanwhile, the Sustainable Mobility index measures how well these cities are making the pivot towards net-zero mobility. Many European cities consistently dominate the tops of these rankings. The report outlines that Delhi’s weak traffic management system regularly causes gridlock and traffic congestion. In addition, the city scored poorly on many social impact indicators, such as safety, pollution, and national employment in the traffic sector. These scores are much below the global and Asia-Pacific averages. Meanwhile, the report explains that Mumbai suffers from various mobility-related environmental problems such as traffic congestion, poor air quality, noise and light pollution, leading to its woeful scores. However, due to its affordability, the report also lauded both cities’ promising public transit systems, such as the metro. The report goes on to explain that the relatively low car ownership levels in Mumbai and Delhi could aid with amending congestion and air quality in the future. <h2>Recommended stories: </h2> <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="95825875" title="As women struggle to make up even one-third of corporate boards, Europe mandates 40% reservation for women" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"><payload><![CDATA[seealso]]></payload></div> <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="95683430" title="India-Australia to share critical resources and minerals to help co-transition to net zero emission target" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"><payload><![CDATA[seealso]]></payload></div> <div type="QUIZ" hostid="261" msid="94051791" title="Sustainability Quiz : Climate Change" mstype="1" mssubtype="2"><payload><![CDATA[sustainability-quiz]]></payload></div>

Mumbai, Delhi ranked lowest among 6o global cities for public transit systems

<keyword id="2573" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="air-india" source="Orion">Air India</keyword> has put together a "huge financing deal" related to its new fleet in a remarkably quick time, according to its chief <keyword id="5863894" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="campbell-wilson" source="Orion">Campbell Wilson</keyword>. On February 14, Air India announced a historic order for buying 470 aircraft, including 250 from Airbus and 220 from <keyword id="6357957" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="boeing" source="Orion">Boeing</keyword>. Besides, there is an option to buy another 370 planes from the two plane makers. It was also the first time in more than 17 years that Air India, which was taken over by <keyword id="6355725" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="tata-group" source="Orion">Tata Group</keyword> from the government in January last year, placed orders for new planes. In his weekly message to the staff on Friday, Wilson said he wants to commend "the commercial, strategic procurement, finance, treasury and legal teams for successfully putting together a huge financing deal related to our new fleet in remarkably quick time...it was another historic achievement for the new Air India". Specific details could not be immediately ascertained. Wilson, in an interview with PTI last month, said that a lot of money is being invested in the airline. "<keyword id="10439307" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="tata-group-air-india" source="Orion">Tata Group Air India</keyword> has invested at a list price of USD 70 billion for the 470 aircraft. That is with the explicit purpose of providing more services, especially international connectivity. We ultimately do that for many reasons and one reason is that we get economic returns from that investment. "I think, if the traffic is siphoned off throughout the places, just makes it more and more difficult for us to have non-stop services and ultimately, customer loses as they will not have any option of non-stop service," he had said. The response was to a query related to bilateral flying rights. The order for 470 planes comprises 40 Airbus A350s, 20 Boeing 787s and 10 Boeing 777-9s wide-body aircraft as well as 210 Airbus A320/321 Neos and 190 Boeing 737 MAX single-aisle aircraft. In the message, Wilson -- CEO and Managing Director -- also mentioned the diversion of the AI 173 Mumbai-San Francisco flight this week and about the handling of the situation. He said it was a "team Air India effort". "From the affected crew and onboard staff helping stranded customers on the ground, to the engineering, flight ops, inflight services, insurance and other folk preparing and operating the relief flight. "From our customer service and communications teams assisting customers and engaging media, to our government and regulatory teams keeping their counterparts informed, and everyone else who played a role," he said. On June 6, AI 173 operating from Delhi to San Francisco carrying 216 passengers and 16 crew on board was diverted to the Magadan port city in far east Russia following a mid-air glitch in one of the Boeing 777-200LR aircraft engines. All were stranded in the port city for two days and the replacement aircraft ferried them to San Francisco on June 8. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sustainability/news/marine-species-including-whales-and-dolphins-under-significant-threat-from-noise-pollution/articleshow/100877522.cms">Marine species including whales and dolphins under significant threat from noise pollution</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sustainability/news/the-worlds-oceans-last-month-were-warmer-than-any-other-may-since-the-beginning-of-the-19th-century/articleshow/100875382.cms">The world's oceans last month were warmer than any other May since the beginning of the 19th century</a>

Air India puts together 'huge financing deal' for new fleet: CEO

<ul><li><keyword id="1607389" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="dyson" source="Orion">Dyson</keyword> has introduced <keyword id="13505182" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="dyson-zone" source="Orion">Dyson Zone</keyword>, a noise-cancelling headphone that doubles up as an air purifier. </li><li>It covers the mouth and nose, helping you breathe clean air even when you are out. </li><li>The company has not revealed the pricing and availability of the device. </li></ul>Dyson has introduced a bizarre new product and it’s not a vacuum cleaner or a hair dryer, it is a noise-cancelling headphone that also works as an air purifier for your mouth and nose. The new headphones from the company are a scary reminder of the increasingly polluted world that we live in. However, considering the timing of the announcement, we wouldn’t be surprised if this ends up as an April fool’s prank. A recent <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/environment/news/delhi-and-mumbai-are-in-top-10-polluted-cities-in-the-world/slidelist/90373000.cms">report</a> revealed that Delhi and Mumbai are among the top 10 polluted cities in the world. As per <a href="https://www.iqair.com/in-en/world-most-polluted-cities">IQAir</a>, there are 14 Indian cities among the list of top 20 most polluted cities in the world. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Dyson Zone features and specifications" comment="subhead" text="Dyson Zone features and specifications">Dyson Zone features and specifications</cmsannotation> With the Dyson Zone, the company has made its debut in the audio segment and the wearables segment. The headphones will protect you against both air and noise pollution when you step out of your home. The Dyson Zone has repeatedly been developed after 6 years of research and over 500 prototypes. It offers three noise cancellation modes – isolation, conversation and transparency. While isolation offers the highest level of noise cancellation, the transparency mode allows you to stay aware of your surroundings. The device features a 2-stage filtration process and is capable of filtering city fumes and pollutants. The visor is equipped with a potassium-enriched carbon filter which uses an electrostatic filtration process to purify the air. “The Dyson Zone purifies the air you breathe on the move. And unlike face masks, it delivers a plume of fresh air without touching your face, using high-performance filters and two miniaturised air pumps,” <keyword id="2887112" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="jake-dyson" source="Orion">Jake Dyson</keyword>, Chief Engineer, Dyson said in a press release. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/iphones-reported-as-stolen-will-no-longer-be-repaired-by-apple/articleshow/90534039.cms">iPhones reported as stolen will no longer be repaired by Apple</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/environment/news/delhi-and-mumbai-are-in-top-10-polluted-cities-in-the-world/slidelist/90373000.cms">Top 10 most polluted cities in the world – Guess the two Indian cities in the list</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/news/un-report-warns-of-climate-related-mass-extinctions-including-the-disappearance-of-penguins-and-polar-bears/articleshow/89951781.cms">UN report warns of climate-related mass extinctions, including the disappearance of penguins and polar bears</a>

Dyson's new headphones with an air purifier bank on people’s masking habits

A new fine is afoot for rear seat belt — check out the full list of fines for traffic violations

Supertech's illegal twin towers in <keyword id="18858" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="noida" source="Orion">Noida</keyword>, which are taller than Delhi's <keyword id="79652" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="qutub-minar" source="Orion">Qutub Minar</keyword>, will become India's highest structures ever to be demolished on August 28. The buildings measuring a little over 100 metres will literally collapse like a house of cards in a process that would take less than 15 seconds for them to come down, according to project officials. The demolition would be done through a controlled implosion technique for which over 3,700 kg of explosive will be used in the eye-popping event that would also leave behind a whopping 55,000 tonnes of debris to be managed. Mumbai-based <keyword id="2638505" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="edifice" source="Orion">Edifice</keyword> Engineering along with their South African partner firm <keyword id="13392130" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="jet-demolitions" source="Orion">Jet Demolitions</keyword> is carrying out the job, which is certain to make it into civil engineering feats of the world. "It will take nine to 10 seconds for all the explosives to blast in a series making a loud noise. After the blasts, the structures won't come down all at once and would take four to five seconds to come down completely," Edifice Engineering partner <keyword id="13232556" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="utkarsh-mehta" source="Orion">Utkarsh Mehta</keyword> told PTI. "The time for dust dissipation is estimated to be 10 minutes," said <keyword id="6371425" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="mehta" source="Orion">Mehta</keyword>, whose company has previously executed demolition of illegal residential complexes in Kerala's Maradu, Telangana's secretariat and central prison, and old Motera stadium in Gujarat, among others. Project officials said the explosives used for demolition include detonators, emulsions and shock tubes, which have explosion material in gel or powdered form. "These explosives are not very strong in nature but when used in large quantities, they are able to break concrete. These explosives are sold in a regulated manner and strictly after permission from various government agencies," an official said. The demolition of Supertech's twin towers in Noida's Sector 93A comes in pursuance of a Supreme Court order that found the structures to be illegal and built in violation of norms. According to the estimates prepared by the project officials, the demolition of the Apex (32 storeys) and Cyane (29 storeys) would leave behind approximately 35,000 cubic metres of debris to be cleared and clouds of dust to dissipate. Noida Authority's General Manager (Planning) Ishtiaq Ahmed said 21,000 cubic metres of the debris would be moved out and dumped at an isolated land measuring five to six hectares in city's work circle seven limits and the remaining would get accommodated in the basement areas of the twin towers where a pit has been made. "The post demolition debris would be managed scientifically as per rules and guidelines. A final decision on it would come from the regional pollution control board which is examining a report from Edifice Engineering on debris management," Ahmed told PTI. According to Mehta, around 1,200 to 1,300 "truck-loads" of debris would have to be moved out from the site. "However, there has been one good thing of late. The Jet Demolitions team has been tracking the flow of the wind for the last one week or so and found it flowing towards the West. If the same pattern continues, then most of the dust would blow towards the front side of the twin towers, a road followed by an open city park," he said. The favourable wind direction would prevent the dust from settling within the premises of Emerald Court and ATS Village societies – both in close proximity to the twin towers. Though, all the debris will not go to waste as it will yield an estimated 4,000 tonnes of iron and steel that Edifice plans to use to recover a part of the demolition cost. Meanwhile, the Noida Authority has a construction and demolition waste management plant in Sector 80, with a capacity of 300 tonnes per day. However, considering the rubble that would be moved out, it is still not clear whether it would be processed there and if yes, then how and over what duration of time. According to project details, the Apex tower has 11 primary blast floors -- where all columns on the floor will have explosives fixed and blasted -- and seven secondary floors -- where 60 per cent of the columns will be blasted. Cyane has one less primary blast floor. The charged columns are wrapped in wired mesh and geotextile cloth to prevent debris from flying and damaging nearby buildings. There will be six layers each for floors between the basement and sixth floors and four layers each on the upper floors, according to the details. For the protection of Emerald Court and ATS Village, both societies will also have geotextile covering. About 225 tonnes of wired mesh made of galvanised iron and geotextile in 110-km length would be used in the entire process.

Demolition of Noida twin towers will leave behind 35,000 cubic metres of debris

New Delhi, The Railways introduced 153 services in 2019-20 as compared to 266 services in 2018-19, which included modern semi-high speed trains like Vande Bharat, <keyword id="3691811" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="tejas-express">Tejas Express</keyword> and UDAY (Utkrisht Double-Decker Air-conditioned Yatri) Express trains, Parliament was informed on Friday. In a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha, <keyword id="6356740" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="RAILWAY">Railway</keyword> Minister <keyword id="6355222" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="piyush-goyal">Piyush Goyal</keyword> said: "To facilitate passengers, Indian Railways, during the period 2018-19 and 2019-20, railways introduced new 153 and 266 services respectively." He said that introducing new services is a continual endeavour of the national transporter to upgrade train services and to provide improved facilities to the passengers. "Indian Railways have introduced premium services like <keyword id="7263559" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vande-Bharat-Express">Vande Bharat Express</keyword>, Humsafar, Tejas, Antyodaya, UDAY, to provide better travelling experience to the passengers," he said, adding that state-of-art Vande Bharat Express services have been introduced on <keyword id="3931882" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="new-delhi-varanasi">New Delhi-Varanasi</keyword> and New Delhi-Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra sectors. "These trains have ultra modern features like quick acceleration, on board infotainment and Global Positioning System (GPS) based passenger information system, automatic sliding doors, retractable footsteps and zero discharge vacuum bio toilets etc," he said. Goyal said that a total of four pairs of Tejas Express services have been introduced. "Two of these -- Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus-Karmali Tejas Express and Chennai Egmore-Madurai Jn Tejas Express are being run by Indian Railways, while the other two Tejas trains namely, Lucknow-New Delhi Tejas Express and Mumbai Central-Ahmedabad Tejas Express are operated by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (<keyword id="65866" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="IRCTC">IRCTC</keyword>)," he said. Similarly, two pairs of <keyword id="3691812" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="uday-express">UDAY Express</keyword> have been operationalised -- Bangalore City - Coimbatore UDAY Express and Visakhapatnam-Vijayawada UDAY Express. He said that other premium services like Humsafar, Tejas, Antyodaya, UDAY, Mahamana and coaches like Deen Dayalu and Anubhuti, which have upgraded interiors or exteriors and improved passenger amenities, have been introduced in various train services. He further said that the railways is manufacturing only Linke Hofmann Busch (LHB) coaches, which are technologically superior and have better riding, aesthetics and safety features than conventional Integral Coach Factory (ICF) type coaches. "Production Units of railways have stopped the manufacturing of ICF type coaches and are manufacturing only LHB coaches from the year 2018-19 onwards," he said. Goyal also said that vistadome coaches provide panoramic view, through wider body side windows as well as through transparent sections in the roof, thus enabling the passengers to enjoy the scenic beauty of the places through which they travel. "Recently, vistadome coaches on LHB platform have been manufactured with several modern features or amenities," he said. He said that under Project Utkrisht, which was launched in April 2018 to improve the condition of ICF type coaches running in Mail or Express trains, railways has upgraded 447 rakes of Mail or Express trains till December 2020. Similarly, under Project Swarn, 65 rakes of Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains have been upgraded across multiple dimensions, which include coach interiors, toilets, onboard cleanliness, staff behaviour, linen, etc. The Minister said that 63 smart coaches with ultra modern features like smart public address and passenger information system, Smart HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning system), Smart security and surveillance system etc. have been manufactured and introduced. He said that conversion of end-on-generation (EOG) trains into Head-On-Generation (HOG) trains is om to reduce noise and air pollution at stations and in trains. It is expected to significantly reduce the consumption of fossil fuels, he added. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/economy/news/how-big-is-indias-debt-and-should-it-be-a-worry/articleshow/80688623.cms">How big is India's debt and should it be a worry?</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/heres-why-you-arent-being-able-to-apply-for-brookfield-reit-ipo-through-zerodha-groww-angel-broking-and-other-stockbroking-apps/articleshow/80686457.cms">Here's why you aren't being able to apply for Brookfield REIT IPO through Zerodha, Groww and other stockbroking apps</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/analysts-explain-why-indigo-paints-shares-fell-with-a-thud-just-like-burger-king-and-mrs-bectors-and-what-to-do-with-it-now/articleshow/80704864.cms">Indigo Paints joins the league of Burger King and Bector's — frenzied IPOs that fizzled out</a>

Railways launched 153 new train services in 2019-20, says Railway Minister

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/56198330.cms" />Taking a look at this video series <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qpna1hAndA&amp;list=PL52yHaqM139xA1ZzhMc1d18Mc-FcPo5W_">'The Good Crusaders' by Chivas in association with ET Now</a> will make you feel how little we have achieved in life while chasing our materialistic desires and ambitions. Due to our hectic lives and the overall sense of gloom in the world, we more than often fail to recognise the good we have in and amongst us. 
 
There exists a generous amount of individuals who are striving hard to make a difference in the lives of others and going the extra mile to empower them. Whether it's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7PSuGUAya4&amp;list=PL52yHaqM139xA1ZzhMc1d18Mc-FcPo5W_&amp;index=12">this man who took out 500 people with him in his 'Jagriti Yatra'</a> to build India, or this woman spearheading a movement against noise pollution, each and every person in the<a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL52yHaqM139xA1ZzhMc1d18Mc-FcPo5W_"> 100 Pipers' video series </a>has touched lives and depicted why we need to socially engage in today's fast paced life. 
 
So, pause for a moment from the madness you are living and tune in to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaFdIoFs_IM&amp;list=PL52yHaqM139xA1ZzhMc1d18Mc-FcPo5W_&amp;index=3">100 Pipers' awe-inspiring stories </a>of some of the most stunning individuals. Take a look at their stories: 
 
1. Indrani Malkani 
<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/56931162.cms" /> 
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qpna1hAndA&amp;list=PL52yHaqM139xA1ZzhMc1d18Mc-FcPo5W_&amp;index=1">This video by Chivas in association with ET Now</a> tells us the story of Indrani Malkani that wil leave you inspired for a llifetime. Born in Calcutta, Malkani worked in Delhi for a brief while before making Mumbai her home and becoming the ‘school bus lady.’ Living right next to a school, she was irritated by the incessant honking of cars before and after school hours. Additionally, she also believed she had a solution to ease traffic and chaos around schools and was the brain behind the school bus policy, nine years before the state formalized it. It is because of her that now school buses have become one of the most safest ways of travel, have first aid boxes and fire-extinguishers. 
 
2. Avijit Dutt 
<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/56931161.cms" /> 
A filmmaker and an actor, Avijit Dutt was asked to make a film on child abuse 20 years ago by UNICEF and NHRC. The film titled ‘Akkar Bakkar,’ which was also shown in the Parliament to hasten the Child Bill, gave birth to the activist in him and he launched Childline. Since then, he has been providing healthcare facilities at the grassroots level. Listen to him in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9lwjhRUe0U&amp;index=14&amp;list=PL52yHaqM139xA1ZzhMc1d18Mc-FcPo5W_">this video by Chivas in association with ET Now</a>. 
 
3. Shashank Mani 
<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/56931157.cms" /> 
Shashank Mani believes that enterprise is the tool that can achieve the mission of development in rural India. He launched ‘Jagriti Yatra,’ which takes 500 yatris through a 15-day long train journey across the length and breadth of the country to understand and build the India of smaller towns and villages through enterprise. Listen to him in this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7PSuGUAya4&amp;index=12&amp;list=PL52yHaqM139xA1ZzhMc1d18Mc-FcPo5W_">video by Chivas in association with ET Now</a>. 
 
4. Dr Vibha Krishnamurthy 
<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/56931156.cms" /> 
A developmental peadritician by porfession, Dr Vibha Krishnamurthy launched ‘Umeed,’ a one-of-akind center to create an integrated family-centred support system for children with developmental disabilties in India. The aim of her organisation is to change the way families and communities understand and care for children with such disabilities. Listen to her in<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6ppJs50Gn0&amp;index=9&amp;list=PL52yHaqM139xA1ZzhMc1d18Mc-FcPo5W_"> this video by Chivas in association with ET Now.</a> 
 
5. Sumaira Abdulali 
<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/56931155.cms" /> 
Sumaira Abdulalai is an environmentalist and the founder of the NGO, Awaaz Foundation. It is through her organisation that she has proven that noise pollution need not be the side effect of urbanisation and economic progress. By facilitating a transparent citizen-led movement to link urban development and noise regulation, she has taken a different approach to spearhead a movement against the pervasive environmental hazard of noise pollution. Listen to her in this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2smh4gTj9gw&amp;index=13&amp;list=PL52yHaqM139xA1ZzhMc1d18Mc-FcPo5W_">video by Chivas in association with ET Now</a>. 
 
6. Jahan Peston Jamas 
<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/56931150.cms" /> 
Jahan Peston Jamas, the man behind ‘The Hemp Revolution in India.’ On a trip that took Jamas and his friends to rural Maharashtra,Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, they were surprised to notice the abundance of the hemp plant and their daily uses. They thus started the Bombay Hemp Company and created a new industry around hemp, beginning with the basic needs of food, clothing and shelter. Listen to him in this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BH3poHYIQ28&amp;index=11&amp;list=PL52yHaqM139xA1ZzhMc1d18Mc-FcPo5W_">video by Chivas in association with ET No</a>w. 
 
7. Rashmi Tiwari 
<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/56931146.cms" /> 
Rashmi Tiwari has been instrumental in curbing trafficking against women and children through her organisation, Ahaan Tribal Development Foundation. Through her centres, Tiwari educates and empowers tribal girls residing in impoverished parts of the country to beat the very poverty that makes them weak and powerless. Listen to her in t<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rURyTkkZut8&amp;index=7&amp;list=PL52yHaqM139xA1ZzhMc1d18Mc-FcPo5W_">his video by Chivas in association with ETNow.</a> 
 
8. Pranik Naik 
<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/56931143.cms" /> 
Disrupting status quo in education, Pranik Naik founded an organisation called ‘LeapForWord’ that provides English-language training to facilitate job placements for the youth. Naik is thus on a mission to make rural India English literate. Listen to Pranik in this<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChHNo0f2F9c&amp;list=PL52yHaqM139xA1ZzhMc1d18Mc-FcPo5W_&amp;index=5"> video by Chivas in association with ETNow</a>. 
 
9. Dr Ramakant Panda 
<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/56931142.cms" /> 
Growing up in a small village, Dr Ramakant Panda always believed in giving hope when there is none. It thus seemed apt that years later when he became a successsful cardiac surgeon, he would give back. Panda set up the Asian Heart Institute to raise the bar for medical standards in India for heart care. Listen to Ramakant in this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezCsQBgXjrk&amp;index=6&amp;list=PL52yHaqM139xA1ZzhMc1d18Mc-FcPo5W_">video by Chivas in association with ETNow</a>. 
 
10. Shaheen Mistri 
<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/56931105.cms" /> 
A social acitivist and educator by heart, Shaheen Mistri founded the Akanksha Foundation in 1991 with a simple idea- to educate the thousands of children residing in slums. Today, the Foundation teaches 3,500 children in 58 centres and six schools. Listen to her in this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aD_24WhvJ74&amp;list=PL52yHaqM139xA1ZzhMc1d18Mc-FcPo5W_&amp;index=4">video by Chivas in association with ETNow</a>. 
 
You can know more about these revolutionary crusaders in this video series by 100 Pipers:<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5qpna1hAndA?list=PL52yHaqM139xA1ZzhMc1d18Mc-FcPo5W_" width="560"></iframe>

The Good Crusaders: 10 Indians leading by example

India is recognized globally for its premier engineering institutes IITs and IIMs. Students from these colleges are behind some of the world's unicorns. They have a history of producing some wonderful innovations for a better world. From efficient electric cars, autos running on hydrogen to machines for the blind - the diverse innovations inside the campus labs are usually aimed at solving the real pain points of people and making their lives easier. Big or small, their ideas have contributed to our society for years. They are out to revolutionize the world and we are simply proud of their stellar innovations. Let's go over some of them: 
 An Electric Race Car that participated in Formula Students competition at Silverstone Circuit, UK 

	
	
	
	
	
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IIT-B students unveiled EVo1 at the Powai Institute campus, it is India’s first electric race car. A team of 60 students designed this car in 2012. It has a top speed of 115 km per hour and weighs about 320 kgs. It has acceleration from 1 to 100 kmph in 5 seconds and from 0 to 60 kmph in 3.5 seconds. It possesses high efficiency DC motors and Lithium polymer batteries. 
 
SmartCane for the easy mobility of those visually-challenged 

	
	
	
	
	
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 A group of passionate technologists, an IIT professor and a social entrepreneur joined hands and came up with an innovative product that aims to alleviate the hardships faced by visually challenged people when it comes to independent mobility.SmartCane™ is an aid for the visually impaired that provides safe and independent mobility which eases their integration into the society. It helps its user diagnose any above-the-knee obstruction from a distance of 3 meters. Frugality and resourcefulness have ensured that this product costs only INR 3,000. 
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&amp;v=3etHWJL2izs 
 
An App which Facebook ended up buying 
 Abheek and Soham were inspired to create Tagtile by an incident in a restaurant in San Francisco. The <keyword id="137562" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="IITians">IITians</keyword> heard the restaurant owner complain about the websites and apps offering deals. Thus, Tagtile was launched in March 2011 to satisfy the merchants as well as customers with exciting deals and offers. Tagtile won many acclaims and became one of the widely used apps. It also received an award in October 2011 for Best Startup in a competition among 100-odd start-ups in the Silicon Valley.Initially a partnership deal, ended with Facebook buying the year-old product. The deal brought along an offer for Abheek and Soham to join Facebook as product manager and engineer. 
 
Drones which the Indian Army now uses 
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="image" msid="51807041" hostid="261"></div> <keyword id="1791200" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="IIT-Bombay-students">IIT Bombay students</keyword> invented NETRA - an autonomous hovering Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), a drone that helps the Indian army with rescue operations during natural calamities. 
 
Water rides You can now walk On <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vr2eNBNm-LY" width="560"></iframe>Mirik Gogri and Ayush Jain, Two IIT-Bombay alumni formed Humming Whale Product Innovations, a company that innovates path-breaking products and solutions. The team came up with a fun idea of walking on water, which they later gamified into a ride. They are now all set to introduce the product at various gaming zones, amusement parks, events and parties. The duo also came up with rewritable T shirts. 
	
	
	
	
	
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 Write and erase. Cool, isn't is? The t-shirt was a hit on online shopping websites and was worn by a movie cast that appeared on popular TV show Bigg Boss. 
 
Hydrogen Autos with less noise and Pollution may take over Delhi roads 
	
	
	
	
	
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 Professor LM Das of IIT-D conceived the idea of using compressed hydrogen as an automotive fuel with Delhi's air pollution in mind . In the early '80s, it was a bold initiative — an idea ahead of its time. Lay acquaintances thought he was talking about making a hydrogen bomb. Detractors in the scientific community dismissed his research as a freak project. But Das soldiered on alone over the next three decades as associates came and went. He says - Unlike petroleum-derived hydrocarbon fuels, pure hydrogen does not produce toxic carbon monoxide or the heat-trapping carbon dioxide on combustion. There are no oxides of sulphur, nor any particulates. Water vapour and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) are the only byproducts. Although NOx is a pollutant, Das claims their engine has been optimized to reduce its emission greatly. 
 
Machine that reduces waste and in turn quenches thirst
	
	
	
	
	
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Designed and developed in just 95 days by two IIT Bombay students - Anurag Meena and Satyendra Meena - is a revolutionary machine which accepts used cans or bottles, and dispenses 300 millilitres of clean (RO and UV treated) drinking water in exchange. It is currently on a pilot test run at the IIT-Bombay boys’ hostel. In the coming months, it will also be installed in several other places in Mumbai and Chandigarh. 
 
(Image credit: PagalGuy)

10 brilliant innovations by IITians to make India a better place to live in

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/49724273.cms" /> As the country indulges in an orgy of festivities this <keyword id="188" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="80" keywordseo="Diwali">Diwali</keyword>, one can’t help but think of the air and noise pollution we cause by bursting firecrackers. However, Bengaluru-based hyper-local on-demand delivery service <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Roadrunnr">Roadrunnr</a> is celebrating Diwali in the most unique way possible! The startup is distributing ‘plantable bookmarks’ with almost every delivery they make on 11th and 12th November! 
 
The bookmarks will be gifted in packed biodegradable envelopes. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Roadrunnr">Roadrunnr</a>’s delivery boys will hand-over one biodegradable envelope with every order they deliver across Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai. Customers can use these bookmarks and plant it in a pot as per the instructions on the envelope. In around 10 days they can look forward to a small plant blooming. A variety of seeds will be used so every customer will be surprised with a unique plant! 
 
Viral Chhajer, Head of Marketing &amp; Communications, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Roadrunnr">Roadrunnr</a>, says, “We are excited to launch this green initiative for Diwali and we will plant five trees for every bookmark planted by a customer. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Roadrunnr">Roadrunnr</a> team looks forward to planting more than 50,000 trees through this initiative.” 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Roadrunnr">Roadrunnr</a> will also gift merchants it works with bamboo plants in customized pots. This initiative is in association with ‘Nurturing Green’ and aims to promoting the green concept of gifting, decor and landscaping this festive season. 
 <keyword id="3601249" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Roadrunnr">Roadrunnr</keyword> currently operates in 11 cities and makes more than 35,000 deliveries per day. It was founded by Mohit Kumar and Arpit Dave who worked together at <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Flipkart">Flipkart</a> earlier. 
 
Image credit: Roadrunnr

This Bengaluru-based Startup is celebrating Diwali in the most unique way possible!

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/46595774.cms" /> While industrial growth triggered by the first leg of economic liberalisation in early nineties led to a sea change in India’s social fabric over the last couple of decades, <keyword id="31907" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Aviation">aviation</keyword> stands apart as a sector that is capable of fuelling drastic changes in terms of <keyword id="47276" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Economic-growth">economic growth</keyword>. 
 In fact, for more than 40 years since independence, Indian aviation was a public sector monopoly, with <keyword id="2573" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-India">Air India</keyword> and <keyword id="1446" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="indian-airlines">Indian Airlines</keyword> as the two only operators serving the domestic and international market respectively. Liberalisation changed this for better as air taxi operators were allowed to serve the domestic market. While many private airlines entered and exited, a few players including Jet Airways survived the initial turbulence. 
 
The government’s decision to deregulate international air traffic in 2004 allowed private Indian carriers to extend their services to international routes. Leveraging positive policy ambience, airlines such as IndiGo and SpiceJet carved a niche for themselves by adopting a low-cost business model. 
 A few factors such as foreign direct investment (<keyword id="44528" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="FDI">FDI</keyword>) in domestic airlines, low-cost carriers (LCC), information technology (IT) interventions and a rising need for regional connectivity have pushed the growth in the domestic aviation space. 
 
These have catapulted the size of Indian aviation to $16 billion, making it one among the top 10 aviation markets in the world and leading to bullish outlook among industry watchers. “The new entrants have now better business models to keep the business sustainable,” says Charles Dhanaraj, professor of Strategy and Global Leadership at IMD, Lausanne, Switzerland. 
 In terms of additional passengers per year, India is expected to be among the top five air domestic travel markets globally by 2034, according to the <keyword id="6407098" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="International-Air-Transport-Association">International Air Transport Association</keyword> (IATA). 
 Aircraft movements, passengers and freight at Indian airports are expected to grow at 4.2 %, 5.3% and 5%, respectively, for the next five years, according to estimates by <keyword id="54875" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Airports-Authority-of-India">Airports Authority of India</keyword> (AAI). “A major underexploited opportunity is the domestic freight transport. 
 
There is increasing potential for moving high value goods domestically through air freight where there will be more movement in the coming years,” says Charles. 
 
Investment galore Significant growth in FDI inflows and a slew of government initiatives provided fodder for the sector’s transformation. FDI inflows in air transport during April 2000 to November 2014 stood at $543 million, as per data released by Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP). Recent investments from private players include IndiGo’s order for 250 A320neo airplanes from Airbus for $25.5 billion; AirAsia’s plans to add 10 more aircraft to its fleet by end of 2015, taking its total fleet to 15 aircraft; <keyword id="137192" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Star-Alliance">Star Alliance</keyword> plans to turn New Delhi’s T3 and Mumbai’s T2 Terminals into hubs; and the pact signed by Vistara, the airline by the Tata Group-Singapore Airlines (SIA) alliance, with SITA for aircraft communications, airline operations and network connectivity. According to Charles, the entry of Vistara and the growing interest of the foreign investors to be part of the growth of Indian aviation will propel the system. 
 
Government initiatives 
The government, which has been bullish about pushing the sector’s growth, has projected that around 500 airports would be required by 2020. It has already approved the construction of five budget airports to improve regional connectivity and work on them will start from FY15 and launched tourist visa on arrival (TVoA) enabled by electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to 43 countries besides plans to privatise national airline Air India. Also, the Ministry of Civil Aviation also plans to list Airports Authority of India and Pawan Hans on the stock exchanges. 
 
The private sector is sought to be involved in a big way through the PPP model, with significant state support in terms of financing, concessional land allotment and tax holidays. 
 
Air Costa is one of the carriers that aim to leverage the expected growth in air transport between tier 2 and 3 cities. “We aim to tap the burgeoning tier II market by stimulating growth through better air connectivity to the tier I cities. Our choice of Embraer aircraft (E170 with 67 seats and E190 with 112 seats) complements this vision. From operating two Embraer aircraft to 4 destinations with 300 employees, we have grown to 4 aircraft serving 9 destinations with close to 750 employees within a year,” says Air Costa CEO Capt. KN Babu. 
 
Economy, Trade and Tourism 
The aviation sector meets growing transportation needs of consumers—airlines registered in India carry 50 million passengers and 1.1 million tonnes of freight a year to, from and within India; more than 130,000 international flights depart India annually destined for 70 airports in 50 countries; domestically, more than 664,000 flights make 89 million seats available to passengers annually, destined to 73 airports. It also offers better connectivity—for instance, daily, there are 8 flights between Delhi and Dubai and more than 59 flights from Delhi to Bombay. The sector makes significant contribution to Indian <keyword id="35050" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="gdp">GDP</keyword> and provides millions of jobs. 
 
Among customers of airlines serving Indian airports, 76 per cent are local residents who get an economic benefit estimated to be worth INR 832 billion annually. 
 
This is in addition to the long-term benefits to the economy. Through investments and use of advanced technology, the aviation sector generates more gross value added (GVA) per employee than the economy as a whole, raising the overall productivity of the economy. 
Benefits are also accrued to the economy through the growth of ground-based infrastructure including airport facilities and the aerospace manufacturing space. 
 
Air transport lies at the heart of Indian tourism. Through its speed, convenience and affordability, air transport has expanded the possibilities of travel for tourists and business travelers alike, allowing an ever greater number of people to experience diversity of culture. 
 
Tourism, both for business and leisure purposes, makes a large contribution to the Indian economy, with foreign visitors spending over Rs 548 billion in the Indian economy each year. Around 89% of these visitors arrive by air, which means foreign visitors who travel by air spend approximately Rs 488 billion. 
 
Considering air freight makes up 34.6% of the value of global trade, aviation also provide a huge fillip to trade in the country. 
 
Hampering environment 
However, the growth of aviation happens at the cost significant damage to the environment, including contribution to global warming. Aviation contributes to climate change by altering the composition of atmospheric gases. In addition to CO2, emissions from aviation combustion processes comprise NOx, SOx and VOC which pollute the fabric of atmosphere. 
 
According to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), CO2 emissions will grow 2.8% annually between 2000 and 2050 and are projected to make up 16% of total transportation carbon emissions, pointing to the need for a shift towards solar powered aircrafts in the long run. IPCC also calculates the climate impact of aviation to be 1.96 times that of CO2 impact. In addition to its contribution to climate change, aviation hampers ambient air quality, affecting public health. This is besides the negative environmental impact of noise pollution contributed by the growing number of aircraft. 
 
Against the background of Modi government’s Land Acquisition Bill, which aims to ease the process of acquisition of land for industrial purposes, land acquisition for the proposed airports too will prove to be a tough nut to crack both politically and economically. 
 
While the government's decision to allow airlines to import jet fuel will help airlines cut fuel costs by up to 20 per cent, lack of infrastructure at the hands of local airlines to import fuel directly would mean domestic carriers continuing to pay heavy federal and state taxes for buying fuel from domestic oil firms, adding to the debt pile-up of airlines most of which are losing money. 
 
There are also concerns about supporting infrastructure and taxation. “There is a huge need for up gradation of the airports at tier 2 cities where the major growth should happen, “ says Charles. “There is still scope for improvement in the airport infrastructure. Another concern is over-taxation – central and state taxes on fuel and maintenance as well as service taxes on air tickets are likely to hamper growth,” says Ramesh Lingamaneni, chairman of Air Costa. 
 
However, the clear silver lining is the expected growth in the number of aircraft as well as domestic and international passengers from India. This projected growth, along with India’s low air traffic density—72 compared with 282 in China and 2,896 in the US—signals a huge untapped potential, considering rising disposable income levels and the burgeoning young population. 
 
As IATA CEO Tony Tyler put it, the world is focused on Indian aviation – from manufacturers, tourism boards, airlines, global businesses to individual travellers, shippers and businessmen. Consensus among these stakeholders, right policies and focus on quality, cost and passenger interest will transform India to one of the largest aviation markets within a couple of decades. 
 
Image: thinkstock

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