Pod taxi is a public transport featuring small automated vehicles operating along a network of guideways.

 

Delhi’s infrastructure is expected to get a fillip with the Centre planning to allocate almost Rs.4,000 crore for the development of Ring Road here. Funds running into crores of rupees have also been earmarked for improving the water supply and make the Yamuna navigable.Sources said the plans were revealed by the Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari at a workshop organised for Bharatiya Janata Party municipal councillors here on Tuesday. A senior South Corporation leader said the funds for development of Ring Road will be allotted if plans are approved to create a corridor that will decongest the city’s roads.

“Mr. Gadkari asked us to study the problems affecting the city, keeping in mind the next 10 years to 15 years. He asked us to keep our approach development-oriented and make representations to the Ministers concerned about issues,” said a participant, adding that it was specifically mentioned there were no dearth of funds to improve the infrastructure in the city.

Further, the councillors were asked to come up with a vision document to enhance the water supply situation. Plans to set up a “building architecture approving authority”, which will work independently of the Municipal Corporations to sanction building plans, were also discussed.

“This authority will be pulled up and its licence revoked in the event of an untoward incident. This was just one of the ideas discussed. Nothing has been finalised,” he added.

Mr. Gadkari also directed the councillors to improve the functioning of the three civic bodies.

“We were told to focus on providing the best services to the people, get rid of corruption and create a blueprint for making Delhi into a world class city,” said a councillor.

Regarding the Yamuna, the councillors discussed setting up two barrages that will make the river navigable, and come up with ways to treat sewage water, which can be diverted for irrigation purposes for the city’s parks and gardens.

 

Source-http://www.thehindu.com/

As a first step towards making Chennai-Tiruvallur High Road a six-lane facility, the highways department is drafting the land plan schedule for acquiring space along the 22-km-long urban stretch of the road, from Padi to Thiruninravur.

Sources in the department said, of the 13 revenue villages the road runs through, land plan schedule, which contains details of land ownership, is ready for nine villages.

“The road is being expanded and re-laid from end to end, wherever there is space. We have taken over land belonging to the government,” said an official. Crash barriers are being cast in-situ and placed on the road on certain stretches.

K. Selvam, who runs an automobile workshop in Mannurpet in Padi, said after re-laying the road, the area has become clean.

“Earlier, there were potholes and a lot of mud. By afternoon, my boys and I would be covered in dust flying from the road,” he said, adding, water stagnation is a problem during and after the rains.

“A proper slope should be maintained so water runs off easily,” he said.

Consumer activist T. Sadagopan said the absence of stormwater drains leads to flooding in adjoining residential areas. “In some places, sewage too flows on to the road. Steps must be taken to prevent this,” he said.

Stormwater drains will be provided only when the six-lane road is laid, said the highways official. “We cannot construct drains for the four-lane stretch, and then break it during expansion. We have provided connections wherever cross drains are there,” said the official.

It was in December 2013, that the highways department took up work to widen the stretch at a cost of Rs. 98 crore after the National Highways Authority of India gave up on it.

Source-http://www.thehindu.com/

Source-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

Sources in the department said, “There is not a complete refusal, the Centre has directed to send the revised detailed project report (DPR) of the projects. We will incorporate the details sought by the Centre. The sanctioning has been put on hold till that time.”In the previous government’s regime, considering the airport as an important point, the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) had decided to connect the BRTS route to Sanganer airport via B2 bypass. “The project was extended from Government Hostel to Amrit Nagar (New Sanganer Road) route to connect to the airport. The route is 13 km long and extension of 7km more will connect it with the Airport. The estimated cost of project was Rs 174 crore.”

Apart from this, the replacement work of the old and choked sewerage lines will also be halted. Sources claimed, “The sewerage line in the city area is over 40 years old and is in urgent need of repair or replacement. The project was not taken up due to paucity of funds.”

According to officials, the DPR to upgrade the sewerage lines in 12 cities, including Jaipur, was sent to the Central government. A senior official said, “The estimated population in the Walled City area is approximately 6 lakh, and the plan has been drawn accordingly. Pipelines of 200 mm width will be laid to curb the problem of overflowing. The project cost was nearly Rs 413 crore and we were expecting to receive half the amount under the scheme.”

A senior JMC official said, “The project is pending for over four years now. During this time, the project cost has also gone up by at least Rs 100 crore. Earlier, it was estimated at Rs 300 crore and a proposal was also sent to the state government for financial assistance. The state government later sent it to the Centre seeking funds under the JNNURM.”

Source-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

He will find ways to elevate bilateral ties with India

Building on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s theme of “smart cities” will be a key objective as Singapore’s Foreign Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam begins his India visit on Tuesday. Mr. Shanmugam is the latest in the string of high-profile visitors in Delhi wanting to engage with the new leadership, following close on the heels of Ministers from China, Russia and France, and just ahead of U.S. Senator John McCain and British Foreign Secretary William Hague.

Sources said the five-day visit will be about “studying what are the priorities for the new government, while finding ways to elevate the India-Singapore bilateral relationship.” In particular, Mr. Shanmugam will speak about urban planning, water and waste management issues, where Singaporean expertise may be of use in India’s quest for renewing its city infrastructure, as also new ideas for strategic investment in infrastructure like the Mumbai port Singapore has contributed to.

Last week, after meeting Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu, Singapore High Commissioner to India Lim Thuan Kuan said, “India is like a fast train that everybody wants to get into.”

Singapore is also India’s highest source of FDI, investing approx $ 6 billion here last year.

Mr. Shanmugam will meet the Prime Minister, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Finance and Defence Minister Arun Jaitley while in Delhi. He will also travel to Hyderabad and Chennai where he will meet with Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu.

Source-http://www.thehindu.com/