Ever since three new flyovers opened on the Outer Ring Road between Munirka and West End, to make the journey from south Delhi to the airport signal-free, the stretch has become highly accident-prone. At the receiving end of the bad planning are scores of school children who study in about a dozen schools on either side of Outer Ring Road.
The children risk their lives every day as the cross the road, in the absence of a subway, foot-overbridge (FOB) or traffic signal.
Ever since all three new flyovers were made operational in the last months of 2009, the route from IIT to National Highway 8 has become completely signal-free. Speeding vehicles use the route as a quick access from south Delhi to the airport and back. There used to be two traffic signals between the flyovers at Munirka crossing and on Rao Tula Ram Marg, but these were removed when the flyovers were opened.
Turning the stretch into a nightmare for pedestrians. "I feel scared to cross the road. Traffic comes non-stop and all I can do is just run when I see the number of cars becoming a little less,'' said Deepika Sree, a class 8 student of Tagore International School.
Added Mohan Thapa, a Class 7 student of Hope Hall Middle School: "I need to cross the road twice a day to get to my home in D-block, Vasant Vihar. But it's become impossible. I feel like I am going to get hit by a car one of these days as no one stops for us. Even the footpaths are all dug up.''
There are several schools located in the colonies on either side of Outer Ring Road, including Sarvodaya Vidyalaya, Upras Vidyalaya, Hope Hall School, Tagore International School, Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Delhi Public School RK Puram and Vasant Vihar, Kendriya Vidyalaya. As a result, thousands of school children studying in these schools and who live in the vicinity or use public transport need to cross the main road to get to school and back.
Students can be seen crossing the road in hordes in a feeble attempt to prevent their being run over. "I use the route often and I see small children crossing the main road. But even if I want to, it's unsafe to stop my car because I risk being hit by a speeding car from behind,'' said DS Khurana, a resident of Malviya Nagar.
The government, meanwhile, seems to be dragging its feet on construction of pedestrian facilities. "The matter was discussed at UTTIPEC Unified Traffic and Transportation Infrastructure (Planning and Engineering) Centre) and there is a plan to build a foot-overbridge at this point, which has been approved. Construction should start soon. Though the flyovers have been opened for traffic, work is still going on at the stretch,'' said an official.link
Three FOBs were supposed to come up alongwith the flyovers but the tenders were reportedly not awarded in time as officials were unable to finalise locations. The proposals were finalised only in November last year, after the flyovers were opened for traffic.
Monday 18 January 2010
Saturday 16 January 2010
TV journalist's house burgled at Mayur Vihar
Unidentified men burgled the house of a woman TV journalist in east Delhi and fled with cash and jewellery worth around Rs two lakh, police said today.
The incident was reported from Mayur Vihar Phase III late last night.
The victim works as a producer with a reputed news channel. The incident came to light when she returned home from work and found the locks of her ground floor apartment broken.
Cash and jewellery worth Rs two lakh have been stolen from the house, police said.
She alerted her landlord after which police was informed.
The victim's domestic help was the last person who came to the house yesterday.
A laptop, jewellery and cash were stolen from the apartment. Police is questioning the domestic help and security guards, they said.
A case of burglary has been registered at New Ashok Nagar police station.link
The incident was reported from Mayur Vihar Phase III late last night.
The victim works as a producer with a reputed news channel. The incident came to light when she returned home from work and found the locks of her ground floor apartment broken.
Cash and jewellery worth Rs two lakh have been stolen from the house, police said.
She alerted her landlord after which police was informed.
The victim's domestic help was the last person who came to the house yesterday.
A laptop, jewellery and cash were stolen from the apartment. Police is questioning the domestic help and security guards, they said.
A case of burglary has been registered at New Ashok Nagar police station.link
Nokia Launches its 3G Touchscreen Nokia 5230
The mobile giant Nokia has unveiled yet another touch screen 3G mobile phone, Nokia 5230, at an affordable price. It costs approximately Rs 8500 in India.
The new Nokia 5230 touchscreen possesses a resolution of 360 X 640 pixels supporting full 16M color range. In addition, it is equipped with 3G, touchscreen Candybar, 70 MB Memory and microSD support up-to 16GB.
Also, it comes with a 2 megapixel camera with 3x digital zoom with white balance modes, auto exposure and colour tone modes.
Its 33 hours music playback time attributes to one of its key features. The music player of Nokia 5230 supports MP3, MP4, AAC, eAAC+ and WMA formats
Nokia 5230 comes preloaded with various applications, which include Voice command/ dial, photo editor, Flash Lite 3.0, Document viewer (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) along with handwriting recognition feature, Email and IM.
Its GPS receiver operating with OVI Maps 3.0 facilitates searching exact location of the desired address, offering you full support wherever your travels may take you.
However, no wi-fi facility adds to its only drawback. link
The new Nokia 5230 touchscreen possesses a resolution of 360 X 640 pixels supporting full 16M color range. In addition, it is equipped with 3G, touchscreen Candybar, 70 MB Memory and microSD support up-to 16GB.
Also, it comes with a 2 megapixel camera with 3x digital zoom with white balance modes, auto exposure and colour tone modes.
Its 33 hours music playback time attributes to one of its key features. The music player of Nokia 5230 supports MP3, MP4, AAC, eAAC+ and WMA formats
Nokia 5230 comes preloaded with various applications, which include Voice command/ dial, photo editor, Flash Lite 3.0, Document viewer (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) along with handwriting recognition feature, Email and IM.
Its GPS receiver operating with OVI Maps 3.0 facilitates searching exact location of the desired address, offering you full support wherever your travels may take you.
However, no wi-fi facility adds to its only drawback. link
Friday 15 January 2010
Aussies to bring own security at Commonwealth Games
Jittery about their security in India, the Australian delegation for this year's Commonwealth Games in Delhi will be accompanied by the country's Federal Police.
"Travelling there (in India) is something you are always going to have to be very careful doing. We need to talk through how we are going to bring people in and how we're going to bring athletes out," Australian Commonwealth Games Association chief Perry Crosswhite was quoted as saying in media reports here.
"This will be the first time if they are going into the (Games) village with us. They'll have a couple of people attached to the team, not guarding the team but basically helping with briefings on security, with advice on where athletes should go, what they should wear, that sort of thing," he said.link
"Travelling there (in India) is something you are always going to have to be very careful doing. We need to talk through how we are going to bring people in and how we're going to bring athletes out," Australian Commonwealth Games Association chief Perry Crosswhite was quoted as saying in media reports here.
"This will be the first time if they are going into the (Games) village with us. They'll have a couple of people attached to the team, not guarding the team but basically helping with briefings on security, with advice on where athletes should go, what they should wear, that sort of thing," he said.link
Several temples across Delhi closed during solar eclipse
Several temples across Delhi closed their doors as the millenium's longest annular solar eclipse began Friday morning. People offered special prayers and priests said that a proper cleansing process was observed before the temples were opened to public after the eclipse.
The Radha-Krishna temple in central Delhi, also known as Birla Mandir, was closed at 11 a.m. - around the same time as what was visible in Delhi as the partial eclipse started.
“The temple was closed in the morning and no puja was performed because of the solar eclipse. However, a special havan was being performed in the meantime. When the eclipse gets over, the temple will be opened, but not before a cleansing process,” a priest at the temple told.
Narayan Kothari, a priest at a temple in east Delhi, said the temple was closed during the eclipse to “ward off bad energy of the eclipsed sun”.
Explaining the ritual, Vedic scholar A.S. Arvamudan told “The main reason why temples are closed during the solar eclipse is that when the sun is covered by the moon and is not seen, it is said that asuras or demons are worshipped. Therefore, deities should not be worshipped during this time.”
“Similarly, after the eclipse gets over, there is a cleansing process being done - because it is said that asuras are worshipped during the eclipse. Priests take a bath and mantras are chanted before opening the temple's doors,” he added.
A number of people in the capital, like elsewhere, also offered special prayers in their homes during the eclipse and refrained from cooking or eating food.
Said Usha Kaushal, a homemaker: “I performed a special puja during the eclipse. Also, there was no food being cooked or eaten during the period. I have grown up seeing my parents perform these rituals and therefore it's a deeply ingrained belief.”
Added Rakesh Sharma, an advertising professional: “I am not superstitious but my mother gave me strict instructions not to eat duringthe eclipse, so I had brunch at 10.30 a.m. before the eclipse began.”
While the eclipse began at 11.06 a.m. in India, in Delhi the partial phase of the eclipse began at 11.53 a.m. and ended at 3.11 p.m. The maximum eclipse of 53 percent was at 1.39 p.m.
An annular solar eclipse occurs when the sun and the moon are exactly in line, but the apparent size of the moon's shadow is smaller than that of the visible disc of the sun. The covered sun, therefore, appears as a 'Ring of Fire', with its rays appearing spread out from the outline of the dark moon.
Last time India saw this 'Ring of Fire' was Nov 22, 1965. The maximum duration of the eclipse was 11 minutes 8 seconds over the Indian Ocean, making it the longest annular eclipse of the millennium.link
The Radha-Krishna temple in central Delhi, also known as Birla Mandir, was closed at 11 a.m. - around the same time as what was visible in Delhi as the partial eclipse started.
“The temple was closed in the morning and no puja was performed because of the solar eclipse. However, a special havan was being performed in the meantime. When the eclipse gets over, the temple will be opened, but not before a cleansing process,” a priest at the temple told.
Narayan Kothari, a priest at a temple in east Delhi, said the temple was closed during the eclipse to “ward off bad energy of the eclipsed sun”.
Explaining the ritual, Vedic scholar A.S. Arvamudan told “The main reason why temples are closed during the solar eclipse is that when the sun is covered by the moon and is not seen, it is said that asuras or demons are worshipped. Therefore, deities should not be worshipped during this time.”
“Similarly, after the eclipse gets over, there is a cleansing process being done - because it is said that asuras are worshipped during the eclipse. Priests take a bath and mantras are chanted before opening the temple's doors,” he added.
A number of people in the capital, like elsewhere, also offered special prayers in their homes during the eclipse and refrained from cooking or eating food.
Said Usha Kaushal, a homemaker: “I performed a special puja during the eclipse. Also, there was no food being cooked or eaten during the period. I have grown up seeing my parents perform these rituals and therefore it's a deeply ingrained belief.”
Added Rakesh Sharma, an advertising professional: “I am not superstitious but my mother gave me strict instructions not to eat duringthe eclipse, so I had brunch at 10.30 a.m. before the eclipse began.”
While the eclipse began at 11.06 a.m. in India, in Delhi the partial phase of the eclipse began at 11.53 a.m. and ended at 3.11 p.m. The maximum eclipse of 53 percent was at 1.39 p.m.
An annular solar eclipse occurs when the sun and the moon are exactly in line, but the apparent size of the moon's shadow is smaller than that of the visible disc of the sun. The covered sun, therefore, appears as a 'Ring of Fire', with its rays appearing spread out from the outline of the dark moon.
Last time India saw this 'Ring of Fire' was Nov 22, 1965. The maximum duration of the eclipse was 11 minutes 8 seconds over the Indian Ocean, making it the longest annular eclipse of the millennium.link
Wednesday 13 January 2010
Preity Zinta celebrated Lohri in Delhi
Former British prime minister Tony Blair's wife Cherie Blair and Bollywood actor Preity Zinta celebrated the harvest festival of Lohri on Wednesday.
Cherie Blair, who is also the president of Loomba Trust that works for the upliftment of widows, was in New Delhi to create awareness about the plight of widows across the world.
Preity Zinta is the trust's global brand ambassador.
Both of them celebrated the festival at a five-star hotel in New Delhi.
"Well I certainly enjoyed the festival very much this evening, and the fire is very welcome, but I think that is the spirit of Lohri. It's about return of the seasons and the hope of better weather to come," she added.
Preity said the celebration was part of raising money for the trust.
"We are here to raise awareness; we are here to raise money tonight especially. Of course, we are celebrating Lohri also, but to raise money for this trust so that it can help widows all over India and all over the world," said Zinta.
The trust aims at helping the disadvantaged and marginalised widows to empower themselves through its various projects worldwide.link
Cherie Blair, who is also the president of Loomba Trust that works for the upliftment of widows, was in New Delhi to create awareness about the plight of widows across the world.
Preity Zinta is the trust's global brand ambassador.
Both of them celebrated the festival at a five-star hotel in New Delhi.
"Well I certainly enjoyed the festival very much this evening, and the fire is very welcome, but I think that is the spirit of Lohri. It's about return of the seasons and the hope of better weather to come," she added.
Preity said the celebration was part of raising money for the trust.
"We are here to raise awareness; we are here to raise money tonight especially. Of course, we are celebrating Lohri also, but to raise money for this trust so that it can help widows all over India and all over the world," said Zinta.
The trust aims at helping the disadvantaged and marginalised widows to empower themselves through its various projects worldwide.link
Tuesday 12 January 2010
Delhi High Court judges to declare assets next week
Following in the footsteps of their counterparts in the Supreme Court, Delhi High Court judges said that they too would declare their assets and make available all the information on the website.
"We too will declare our assets by next week," a bench of Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah and Justices S. Muralidhar and Vikramjit Sen said.
The court upheld its single bench order that the office of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) comes within the purview of the Right to Information (RTI) Act and details of judges assets should be revealed under that.
The Kerala and Madras high court judges have already declared their assets. The Allahabad and Delhi high courts had already passed the resolution of declaring their assets.
Emphasising the importance of RTI, the bench said: "RTI has overreaching impact. Citizens who require such information should not misuse the information, thus saving the independence of (the) judiciary."
Judges of the federal court of justice of the US, it was pointed out, had declared their assets last week. link
"We too will declare our assets by next week," a bench of Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah and Justices S. Muralidhar and Vikramjit Sen said.
The court upheld its single bench order that the office of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) comes within the purview of the Right to Information (RTI) Act and details of judges assets should be revealed under that.
The Kerala and Madras high court judges have already declared their assets. The Allahabad and Delhi high courts had already passed the resolution of declaring their assets.
Emphasising the importance of RTI, the bench said: "RTI has overreaching impact. Citizens who require such information should not misuse the information, thus saving the independence of (the) judiciary."
Judges of the federal court of justice of the US, it was pointed out, had declared their assets last week. link
Wednesday 6 January 2010
Mahindra Navistar unveils MN 49 & MN 40 trucks at the Delhi AutoExpo
Mahindra Navistar Automotives and Navistar Inc. of USA today unveiled the MN 49 and MN 40 trucks for the Indian market at the 10th Auto Expo. These trucks have been designed, developed and tested for Indian roads and usage conditions and is capable of negotiating the toughest terrain. Made for India and made by utilizing Navistar Inc's world renowned trucking expertise of over 175 years, this launch comes soon after the unveiling of the JV’s 25 tonne and 31 tonne trucks in Delhi, recently.
“With the addition of the MN 49 and MN 40 to its product portfolio, Mahindra Navistar is now well poised to cater to a wide spectrum of requirements in the Indian HCV industry. This product line up makes us a credible player in the commercial vehicle industry,” said Anand Mahindra, vice-chairman and managing director, Mahindra Group.
“I am delighted to witness the launch of the MN 49 and MN 40 at the India Auto Expo. India is an important market for us and the Mahindra Navistar JV will redefine the trucking industry in India,” said Daniel C. Ustian, Navistar chairman, president and chief executive officer.
The MN 49 and MN 40 have been developed keeping the unique requirements of the Indian market in mind. They incorporate Navistar’s MaxxForce engine which has been proven across the world for power and fuel efficiency. Their spacious and ergonomic design coupled with a better power to weight ratio and a high load carrying capacity makes them ideal for quick delivery of goods.
At the heart of the 49 tonne and 40 tonne trucks is the world renowned MaxxForce 7.2 litre CRDI engine which is the most modern engine in its class in terms of product configuration as well as components technology for the HCV segment in India. With the 4-valve per cylinder technology, the engine has been designed for better performance, higher power, better fuel efficiency and stricter adherence to emission standards.
The vehicles’ transmission consists of 9 forward synchromesh gears and 1 reverse. Tilt and telescopic power steering make driving these beasts a breeze, while the GPS vehicle tracking system allows you to keep abreast of the truck’s progress along its route. Both trucks have been rigorously tested and meet stringent international safety standards. The spacious and ergonomically designed cabin with various sleeper options also makes them suitable for continuous long hauls.link
“With the addition of the MN 49 and MN 40 to its product portfolio, Mahindra Navistar is now well poised to cater to a wide spectrum of requirements in the Indian HCV industry. This product line up makes us a credible player in the commercial vehicle industry,” said Anand Mahindra, vice-chairman and managing director, Mahindra Group.
“I am delighted to witness the launch of the MN 49 and MN 40 at the India Auto Expo. India is an important market for us and the Mahindra Navistar JV will redefine the trucking industry in India,” said Daniel C. Ustian, Navistar chairman, president and chief executive officer.
The MN 49 and MN 40 have been developed keeping the unique requirements of the Indian market in mind. They incorporate Navistar’s MaxxForce engine which has been proven across the world for power and fuel efficiency. Their spacious and ergonomic design coupled with a better power to weight ratio and a high load carrying capacity makes them ideal for quick delivery of goods.
At the heart of the 49 tonne and 40 tonne trucks is the world renowned MaxxForce 7.2 litre CRDI engine which is the most modern engine in its class in terms of product configuration as well as components technology for the HCV segment in India. With the 4-valve per cylinder technology, the engine has been designed for better performance, higher power, better fuel efficiency and stricter adherence to emission standards.
The vehicles’ transmission consists of 9 forward synchromesh gears and 1 reverse. Tilt and telescopic power steering make driving these beasts a breeze, while the GPS vehicle tracking system allows you to keep abreast of the truck’s progress along its route. Both trucks have been rigorously tested and meet stringent international safety standards. The spacious and ergonomically designed cabin with various sleeper options also makes them suitable for continuous long hauls.link
Monday 4 January 2010
Small Car be hot cake at Delhi Auto Show
A host of new small cars were Tuesday set to jostle for attention at the start of the Indian auto show, a showpiece event for compact vehicles in one of the world's fastest growing markets.
AutoExpo 2010, which runs in New Delhi until January 11, will feature global releases of cars designed for India's growing middle classes, whose appetite for vehicles is driving sales growth of more than 10 percent a year.
Recent months have seen foreign giants Ford, General Motors, Hyundai and Renault join a stampede to India, where each has promised a small, cheap model designed for what Ford boss Alan Mulally termed the "sweet spot" of the market.
Many of these will be on display during the week, including concept small cars from Japan's Honda and Toyota, General Motors' new Beat vehicle, as well as the India-made Polo by Germany's Volkswagen.
Organisers are keen to stress the range of cars and technology on display, the 40-percent increase in exhibition space compared with the last edition in 2008 and the more than 2,000 exhibitors from 30 countries.
"That's what makes us feel now that Delhi is as big and as important as any auto show in the world," Pawan Goenka, president of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), told reporters Monday.
Ahead of the event, General Motors took the wraps off its Beat model which it intends to sell in more than 150 countries worldwide including Europe, parts of Asia and North America.
Karl Slym, head of GM India, said the Beat, priced at 334,000 rupees (7,000 dollars) in its basic form, would help increase Indian sales by 30 percent this year to 100,000 units, but he admitted that the competition was getting tough.
"There is a competitive market in India," he told reporters. "There are more and more players coming in with different capabilities."
All new entrants are looking to unseat Indo-Japanese alliance Maruti Suzuki, which accounts for 55 percent of all car sales in India and has been a top selling brand for two decades.
This year's show is the 10th, but it first caught the world's attention in 2008 when Indian manufacturer Tata Motors unveiled its Nano, the world's cheapest car that has since hit the roads.
The 115,000-rupee (2,500-dollar) Nano kickstarted the race to produce cheap, small vehicles, which account for 80 percent of all car sales in India.
French automaker Renault and Japanese partner Nissan aim to challenge this price level with an ultra-low cost car in 2012.
Renault has projected India's car sales will more than triple within a decade to six million sales annually from 1.8 million.
Incomes are rising steadily, meaning Indians are following the familiar pattern of upgrading their personal transport from push bikes, to motorbikes, then to cars.
Ten global launches of vehicles from heavy trucks to two-wheelers are planned at the Delhi event, which will see an expected 1.8 million visitors pass through its doors.link
AutoExpo 2010, which runs in New Delhi until January 11, will feature global releases of cars designed for India's growing middle classes, whose appetite for vehicles is driving sales growth of more than 10 percent a year.
Recent months have seen foreign giants Ford, General Motors, Hyundai and Renault join a stampede to India, where each has promised a small, cheap model designed for what Ford boss Alan Mulally termed the "sweet spot" of the market.
Many of these will be on display during the week, including concept small cars from Japan's Honda and Toyota, General Motors' new Beat vehicle, as well as the India-made Polo by Germany's Volkswagen.
Organisers are keen to stress the range of cars and technology on display, the 40-percent increase in exhibition space compared with the last edition in 2008 and the more than 2,000 exhibitors from 30 countries.
"That's what makes us feel now that Delhi is as big and as important as any auto show in the world," Pawan Goenka, president of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), told reporters Monday.
Ahead of the event, General Motors took the wraps off its Beat model which it intends to sell in more than 150 countries worldwide including Europe, parts of Asia and North America.
Karl Slym, head of GM India, said the Beat, priced at 334,000 rupees (7,000 dollars) in its basic form, would help increase Indian sales by 30 percent this year to 100,000 units, but he admitted that the competition was getting tough.
"There is a competitive market in India," he told reporters. "There are more and more players coming in with different capabilities."
All new entrants are looking to unseat Indo-Japanese alliance Maruti Suzuki, which accounts for 55 percent of all car sales in India and has been a top selling brand for two decades.
This year's show is the 10th, but it first caught the world's attention in 2008 when Indian manufacturer Tata Motors unveiled its Nano, the world's cheapest car that has since hit the roads.
The 115,000-rupee (2,500-dollar) Nano kickstarted the race to produce cheap, small vehicles, which account for 80 percent of all car sales in India.
French automaker Renault and Japanese partner Nissan aim to challenge this price level with an ultra-low cost car in 2012.
Renault has projected India's car sales will more than triple within a decade to six million sales annually from 1.8 million.
Incomes are rising steadily, meaning Indians are following the familiar pattern of upgrading their personal transport from push bikes, to motorbikes, then to cars.
Ten global launches of vehicles from heavy trucks to two-wheelers are planned at the Delhi event, which will see an expected 1.8 million visitors pass through its doors.link
Saturday 2 January 2010
Delhi comes third in terms of tree cover
Despite pressing needs for land in various developmental projects, the national capital comes third after Lakshwadeep and Chandigarh in terms of percentage of geographical area under tree cover.
"Considering the percentage of geographical area under tree cover, the highest rank goes to Lakshwadeep (12.50%) followed by Chandigarh (9.65%) and Delhi (8.29%)," according to a forest survey, the report of which was released recently.
Daman and Diu ranks fourth at 8.04 per cent while Goa (7.73 per cent) and Kerala (7.21 per cent) come fifth and sixth, the report said, while giving comprehensive details on forest status of the states as in 2007.
Delhi has a total geographical area 1,483.01 sq km of which 123 sq km is under tree cover.
The India State of Forest Report 2009 said while the forest cover increased slightly by 14 sq km, the capital city's tree cover rose by 16 sq km from 107 sq km to 123 sq km during the two-year period mainly due to extensive plantation carried out by the state government.
Overall, Delhi's forest and tree cover have increased to 176.58 sq km between 2005 and 2007, thereby constituting 20.2 per cent of the total geographical area of the capital city.
Tree cover comprises patches outside the recorded forest area exclusive of forest cover and less than minimum mappable area (1 hectares). Such small patches comprising block, linear and scattered trees are not delineated as forest cover during interpretation of satellite data.link
"Considering the percentage of geographical area under tree cover, the highest rank goes to Lakshwadeep (12.50%) followed by Chandigarh (9.65%) and Delhi (8.29%)," according to a forest survey, the report of which was released recently.
Daman and Diu ranks fourth at 8.04 per cent while Goa (7.73 per cent) and Kerala (7.21 per cent) come fifth and sixth, the report said, while giving comprehensive details on forest status of the states as in 2007.
Delhi has a total geographical area 1,483.01 sq km of which 123 sq km is under tree cover.
The India State of Forest Report 2009 said while the forest cover increased slightly by 14 sq km, the capital city's tree cover rose by 16 sq km from 107 sq km to 123 sq km during the two-year period mainly due to extensive plantation carried out by the state government.
Overall, Delhi's forest and tree cover have increased to 176.58 sq km between 2005 and 2007, thereby constituting 20.2 per cent of the total geographical area of the capital city.
Tree cover comprises patches outside the recorded forest area exclusive of forest cover and less than minimum mappable area (1 hectares). Such small patches comprising block, linear and scattered trees are not delineated as forest cover during interpretation of satellite data.link
Friday 1 January 2010
Robbers break into United Bank of India, Khanpur branch
A gang of robbers was good enough to get into a bank in Neb Sarai late Thursday night but not good enough to get into the bank’s lockers.
Police said the robbers got through one wall and one iron grill while the city celebrated the New Year. A case of attempted burglary has been registered at Neb Sarai police station, although bank officials say nothing valuable was taken. The only damage bank officials found when they reported to work the following morning was one half-burnt door and a few burnt pieces of paper.
According to police, the break-in took place at about 3.15 am. The attempted burglary was found out by officials of United Bank of India, Khanpur branch, when they reported to work Friday morning.
The bank has two entrances. The robbers tried to get in from the rear entrance.
They first dug out a portion of the wall around the back door, then broke an iron grill and the door. Inside, they tried to get past another door by setting it on fire. After about an hour of trying to bring down the door, they gave up and melted away, a senior police officer stated.
The bank is on the ground floor, its lockers in the basement. Senior police officers said there are CCTV cameras in the bank but they were of no help because the would-be robbers had cut the camera wires before sneaking into the bank.
A bank employee said, ‘‘We reported to work at about 9.15 am and found the back door broken. There was smoke inside and we found several burnt pieces of paper lying about.”
The bank manager, despite repeated attempts, could not be contacted. Bank officials also refused to say whether any valuables were missing from the bank or not. ‘‘Bank officials so far have not given us any list of stolen items but we are still investigating whether any valuables are missing or not,” said a police officer.
Though no arrests have been made so far, police suspect the involvement of the same gang that is active in the Sarojini Nagar and Kotla Mubarakpur areas and who burn down their targets after they have burgled them.
Joint Commissioner of Police, southern range, Ajai Kashyap said they are working on the case. ‘‘Though there are no clues yet in the case, we are probing it further from all possible angles.”
Police said the robbers got through one wall and one iron grill while the city celebrated the New Year. A case of attempted burglary has been registered at Neb Sarai police station, although bank officials say nothing valuable was taken. The only damage bank officials found when they reported to work the following morning was one half-burnt door and a few burnt pieces of paper.
According to police, the break-in took place at about 3.15 am. The attempted burglary was found out by officials of United Bank of India, Khanpur branch, when they reported to work Friday morning.
The bank has two entrances. The robbers tried to get in from the rear entrance.
They first dug out a portion of the wall around the back door, then broke an iron grill and the door. Inside, they tried to get past another door by setting it on fire. After about an hour of trying to bring down the door, they gave up and melted away, a senior police officer stated.
The bank is on the ground floor, its lockers in the basement. Senior police officers said there are CCTV cameras in the bank but they were of no help because the would-be robbers had cut the camera wires before sneaking into the bank.
A bank employee said, ‘‘We reported to work at about 9.15 am and found the back door broken. There was smoke inside and we found several burnt pieces of paper lying about.”
The bank manager, despite repeated attempts, could not be contacted. Bank officials also refused to say whether any valuables were missing from the bank or not. ‘‘Bank officials so far have not given us any list of stolen items but we are still investigating whether any valuables are missing or not,” said a police officer.
Though no arrests have been made so far, police suspect the involvement of the same gang that is active in the Sarojini Nagar and Kotla Mubarakpur areas and who burn down their targets after they have burgled them.
Joint Commissioner of Police, southern range, Ajai Kashyap said they are working on the case. ‘‘Though there are no clues yet in the case, we are probing it further from all possible angles.”
Dense fog, paralyse Delhi airport operations
Dense fog coupled with technical snag in the instrument landing system Saturday paralysed the flight operations at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi.
"All flight operations to and from Delhi have been affected following technical snag in the Runway Visual Range (RVR) instrument located on the main runway. Many international and domestic flights coming to Delhi have been diverted," said an airport official.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department, the visibility was less than 50 metres in the national capital. link
"All flight operations to and from Delhi have been affected following technical snag in the Runway Visual Range (RVR) instrument located on the main runway. Many international and domestic flights coming to Delhi have been diverted," said an airport official.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department, the visibility was less than 50 metres in the national capital. link
Buses go off Connaught Place
As the beautification of Connaught Place -- the heart of New Delhi -- begins ahead of the Commonwealth Games, buses plying in the area were diverted from Friday.
New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) is constructing new subways in the Outer Circle, a service corridor in the Middle Circle, and is renovating the buildings and making other improvements.
In view of the construction work, all buses, except those to New Delhi railway station, will be kept away from Connaught Place.
"Buses for New Delhi railway station will continue to ply through Connaught Place. Routes of all other buses have been changed," a joint advisory from Delhi Traffic Police and the NDMC said.
"NDMC has taken up redevelopment work of Connaught Place including construction of eight new subways in the Outer Circle, a service corridor in the Middle Circle, facade restoration and other related improvements. These works are proposed to be completed ahead of Commonwealth Games - 2010," the advisory said.
The Delhi Transport Corporation will notify the changed routes soon.
Other traffic in Connaught Place will also be regulated and parking in the middle and outer circles will be closed.
"General public is advised to use Metro and other public transport to Connaught Place. No parking will be available on middle and outer circle. Only half the width of Outer Circle shall be available for vehicular movement," the statement said.
The restriction on vehicular movements will continue for 80 days.
Connaught Place is one of the largest financial, commercial and business centres in Delhi. It was developed as a showpiece of Lutyens' Delhi featuring a Central Business District. Named after the Duke of Connaught, the construction work was started in 1929 and completed in 1933.link
New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) is constructing new subways in the Outer Circle, a service corridor in the Middle Circle, and is renovating the buildings and making other improvements.
In view of the construction work, all buses, except those to New Delhi railway station, will be kept away from Connaught Place.
"Buses for New Delhi railway station will continue to ply through Connaught Place. Routes of all other buses have been changed," a joint advisory from Delhi Traffic Police and the NDMC said.
"NDMC has taken up redevelopment work of Connaught Place including construction of eight new subways in the Outer Circle, a service corridor in the Middle Circle, facade restoration and other related improvements. These works are proposed to be completed ahead of Commonwealth Games - 2010," the advisory said.
The Delhi Transport Corporation will notify the changed routes soon.
Other traffic in Connaught Place will also be regulated and parking in the middle and outer circles will be closed.
"General public is advised to use Metro and other public transport to Connaught Place. No parking will be available on middle and outer circle. Only half the width of Outer Circle shall be available for vehicular movement," the statement said.
The restriction on vehicular movements will continue for 80 days.
Connaught Place is one of the largest financial, commercial and business centres in Delhi. It was developed as a showpiece of Lutyens' Delhi featuring a Central Business District. Named after the Duke of Connaught, the construction work was started in 1929 and completed in 1933.link
189 booked for drunken driving in Delhi
As many as 189 people were booked for driving under the influence of alcohol in the national capital on New Year's Eve, police said on Friday.
The Delhi Police prosecuted 189 people for drunken driving on Thursday night as a part of their drive to check violation of traffic rules.
"Several police teams - static and mobile - kept a tight vigil in the capital to check people driving under the influence of alcohol," Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat said.
Two magistrates were stationed at Parliament Street police station to fine the offenders.
Staff equipped with breath analysers and alcometres were deployed near pubs, malls and hotels as part of a drive to check dangerous and drunken driving during the festive season.
Police Control Room (PCR) vans were also pressed into service to ensure hassle-free flow of traffic.link
The number of offenders has come down rapidly this year as 384 people were booked for drunken driving on the New Year's Eve of 2008.
The Delhi Police prosecuted 189 people for drunken driving on Thursday night as a part of their drive to check violation of traffic rules.
"Several police teams - static and mobile - kept a tight vigil in the capital to check people driving under the influence of alcohol," Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat said.
Two magistrates were stationed at Parliament Street police station to fine the offenders.
Staff equipped with breath analysers and alcometres were deployed near pubs, malls and hotels as part of a drive to check dangerous and drunken driving during the festive season.
Police Control Room (PCR) vans were also pressed into service to ensure hassle-free flow of traffic.link
The number of offenders has come down rapidly this year as 384 people were booked for drunken driving on the New Year's Eve of 2008.
Reena Kaushal is first Indian woman to ski to South Pole
Reena Kaushal became the first Indian woman to ski to the South Pole.
Ms. Kaushal, 38, settled in Delhi, made the historic ski-run as part of an eight-woman Commonwealth team that crossed a 900 km Antarctic ice trek to reach the South Pole to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Commonwealth.
Skiing eight to 10 hours a day, Ms. Kaushal and her teammates from seven other countries covered the frozen continent to the pole in about 40 days. Each skier towed a sledge with food and gear weighing some 80 kg.
The skiers, Ms. Kaushal said in a statement online, braved blinding blizzards, jet speed winds blowing in excess of 130 km an hour and temperatures of minus 40 degrees Celsius.Australia to send big team to Delhi
Australia is planning to send its largest-ever delegation for next year’s Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. “Australia will send a full team of over 600 athletes, coaches, managers, medicos and officials. The team will be the largest ever to compete in an overseas Commonwealth Games campaign with the first round of team nominations including the provisional selection of eight track and field athletes, including world champions Steve Hooker and Dani Samuels,” Australian Commonwealth Games Association said in a statement. ACGA CEO Perry Crosswhite said no athlete had raised any security concerns about travelling to India.link
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