NewsMail Today facbook twitter googlepluse NHAI toll guidelines being violated in Delhi
The three municipalities of Delhi are not just jeopardizing lives by setting up crude, antiquated and unscientific toll booths, but violating many laws such as those set by NHAI (National Highway Authority of India) in the process as well. The NHAI, which is responsible for collecting toll on all 87 highways of the country, has also set guidelines for civic toll collections in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and all other metropolitan cities. The ‘Toll Rules’ under NHAI clearly say that a separate lane has to be created for ‘commercial vehicles’ which need to be taxed. In the case of Delhi, these are the ‘yellow plate’ bearing taxis, mini trucks, freight lorries and other heavy vehicles. There should be lanes for essential commodities and ambulances for quick movement, two-wheelers and three-wheelers as well. Under no situation, there should be obstruction in the way of private vehicles which are not to be taxed, NHAI says. Further, in many cities, there has been a growing demand that in case of big traffic jams, vehicles should be allowed to pass for free. ‘RUFFIANS WHO JUMP IN THE ROAD SANS ID PROOF’ In Mumbai, in July 2016, Public Works Department (MSRDC) minister Eknath Shinde, said in the state legislative council, “People have no objection in paying toll but don’t like waiting in the queue for hours. Toll nakas will be asked to leave vehicles without collecting toll at the time of heavy traffic congestion,” Shinde said in the Upper House replying to a call attention motion by Congress legislator Sanjay Dutt and NCP MLAs. Usman Nasim, researcher on sustainable mobility at the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said, “NHAI also has clear guidelines for how a toll booth has to be operated and the staff there. For example, it says the toll operators must have photo ID cards and a proper uniform. Also, they must have electronic devices which issue printed slips.” “Unfortunately what we have here right now are ruffians who jump in the middle of the road sans any ID proof. They tear a piece of paper to give you as a slip. SDMC, which has appointed one toll operator then sublets it to another which outsources the work to local goons, and that is how it goes,” he added. There is also no system in place for drivers who want to get monthly or annual passes made so as to make traffic movement quick and easy, he pointed out. ENVIRONMENTAL COMPENSATION CHARGE Not just that, the MCD toll booths are making a mockery of the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) Environmental Compensation Charge (ECC) too. The court fixed a heavy ECC or green cess on trucks coming into Delhi to discourage them from passing through the national Capital, and thereby reduce the diesel-fumes pollution created by them. However, the crude toll booths are creating heavy traffic jams, as seen on DND Flyway, leading to even more fuel consumption and pollution. The Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) has conducted several studies showing idling vehicles waste more fuel and produce much more Carbon Dioxide at traffic intersections during long traffic jams. Elandon Roberts Authentic Jersey
Highway runs into high-tension hurdle
Major irregularities have come to light in the land acquisition process for the Central Peripheral Road (CPR).For the construction of the 3.2-km long central peripheral road, Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda) had acquired 102 acres of land and provided a compensation of Rs 700 crore to oustees. But now it has been found that the land acquired for the project has several high- tension electric towers all along the length of the proposed road. Shifting of these electric towers to clear way for the road will delay the project and escalate the proposed cost, according to officials.This revelation has raised questions over the way in which land was identified and acquired, and even compensation was paid without due diligence. “The presence of high tension tower on the land was not highlighted during the land acquisition process and it came to light only when Huda started planning the design and location of utilities like main carriageway, service road, sewerage and drainage along the proposed road,” said a source in the urban development department.The work on construction of the road, which was expected to start soon, now cannot be started till the high tension lines have been shifted. Huda held a meeting with the electricity department on Tuesday for relocating the HT lines.”Electricity department has demanded 30 metre of land along the proposed road for shifting of the HT line. We have acquired 90 metre wide land, if 30 meter is given to the electricity department then we will be left with just 60 metre which would not be sufficient for the construction of the road,” said Huda administrator Yashpal Yadav “Maximum we can give 8.75 metre to the electricity department. T.J. Tynan Womens Jersey
BJP’s Belt and Road myopia
Ram Madhav is a learned and well-read leader of the BJP. At a time when the ruling party has chosen to outsource most of its public communication to jingoistic, ill-informed and, often, bad-mouthing propagandists on social media, its national general secretary provides clear arguments to defend the party and the Modi government in the mainstream media. His article in this newspaper (‘Turning down China’, IE, May 17) on why India has opposed China’s Belt and Road Initiative (B&RI) is no exception. However, it fails to take a holistic view of the risks and opportunities. First, Madhav is wrong in concluding that turning down China’s invitation to participate in the Belt and Road Forum convened by President Xi Jinping in Beijing on May 14-15 — and the undiplomatic manner in which it was turned down — “does not affect bilateral relations adversely”. The statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs may please the ultra-nationalist domestic audience. But one has to be naïve to believe it has not introduced an avoidable sour note in India-China ties. Second, Madhav, like others shaping the Modi government’s China policy, seems unwilling to recognise that it is in India’s own vital and long-term national interest to join B&RI and become an influential player in it. Actually, B&RI provides India a rare opportunity to play a leadership role in the infrastructural and economic integration of South Asia, the most populous but least integrated region in the world. National interest, narrowly defined and myopically viewed, has led the Modi government to oppose B&RI. The same criterion of national interest, understood from a holistic and long-range perspective, suggests how India-China cooperation can work to India’s — and entire South Asia’s — advantage. Madhav rightly concedes that “Belt and Road is China’s most ambitious initiative in history”. He accepts that this is an “infrastructure project of gigantic proportions”, which has brought together “the biggest constellation of nations in the 21st century”, has “seen the signing of contracts worth more than a trillion US dollars”. If so, is India not isolating itself by staying out of the “constellation of nations”? The main reason for India’s non-participation in B&RI is legitimate and fully understandable. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a “flagship” project under B&RI, passes through Gilgit Baltistan (GB) in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Therefore, New Delhi is right in telling Beijing that CPEC violates India’s sovereignty. But herein lies the inability and unwillingness of the Modi government — and of all mainstream Indian political parties — to see the big picture: India can never gain PoK, just as Pakistan can never gain the Indian side of Kashmir. War cannot settle this issue one way or the other. It can only produce catastrophic consequences for the two nuclear-armed neighbours. Unless we want this problem to remain alive for eternity, our two countries have to find a peaceful and negotiated settlement. This calls for new, innovative and bold thinking that guarantees win-win outcomes for both India and Pakistan, and for Kashmiris on both sides of the divide. India’s participation in B&RI, besides bringing huge opportunities for our economy, opens up space for precisely this kind of creative solution to the main dispute between India and Pakistan. Here are my four specific ideas, which I put forth in Beijing as India’s unofficial delegate at the Belt and Road conference. One, instead of simply opposing CPEC (and hence, B&RI in general), we should propose an India-China Economic Corridor (ICEC) that passes through the same part of GB, and also through the rest of J&K, to enter north India. This will partly address India’s sovereignty concerns. Two, we should also propose an India-Pakistan Economic Corridor (IPEC), extending to Afghanistan, Iran and beyond. This much-needed land access will benefit both India and Pakistan. Three, the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) Corridor should be expeditiously implemented. This will be a boon to our eastern and north-eastern states, which are today deprived of markets and infrastructure access towards the east. It will also impart flesh and blood to India’s “Act East” policy. Lastly, BCIM, IPEC, ICEC, CPEC and other existing Indian connectivity initiatives such as the high-speed north-south and east-west freight corridors, should be inter-connected, along with the port connectivity projects of participating countries. Imagine how destiny-changing this can be for the whole of South Asia. Will China agree to this? Yes, it will, provided India joins B&RI. Madhav is wrong in saying “Belt and Road is essentially a Chinese project”. Though started by China, BR&I is multilateral. Given its sheer global scale, China cannot control it, nor impose a “China solution” on other countries, even if it wishes to. Instead of quoting from, and endorsing what western sceptics have said, I wish Madhav had read and critiqued President Xi’s own comprehensive keynote address at the Beijing forum. B&RI in its current conception is certainly not perfect, nor is it cast in stone. It will evolve. It will encounter many problems and legitimate criticisms as it is rolled out. India, given its civilisational wisdom, size, population and growing economic might, has a voice China cannot ignore. It has an opportunity to make B&RI a more democratic and win-win proposition for all by participating in it. However, India cannot do so by staying out. And it is bound to gain far less, and attract more risks, by opposing it or, worse, by trying to float a rival initiative. Sean Doolittle Jersey
To make projects viable, GAIL proposes bundling solar, gas-based power
Public sector natural gas pipeline operator GAIL India is in talks with the government, seeking extension of incentives for gas-based power producers. “We are working with stakeholders to cut down the input cost and make gas-based power generation projects more viable,” GAIL Chairman BC Tripathi told BusinessLine. An option is to bundle it with solar or providing some other kind of support, he added. Spinning reserves A senior GAIL official said this proposal is similar to the initial plan to use gas-based power plants as spinning reserves to mitigate tariff hikes. The cost of natural gas-based power has been traditionally higher than conventional power generation, as natural gas-based power generation can be ramped up to meet peak demand and bridge the power supply shortage. This scenario has changed now and gas-based power generation is no longer financially viable due to abundance of cheap power. Since solar power has become cheaper due to competitive bids, gas-based power can be bundled with it to bridge the demand for power when solar power is unavailable during the evening and night hours, the official explained. Commenting on the total consumption of natural gas by gas-based plants, Tripathi said: “Power plants are currently consuming about 25-26 mmscmd of gas. Of this, 5 mmscmd is imported liquefied natural gas, and the rest is domestic gas.” The government had also initiated a scheme to subsidise imported gas-based power generation. This scheme was discontinued from March 31 this year. Subsidised gas “Before power pooling, we were selling almost 4.5 mmscmd to such plants who were enjoying the benefit of subsidy. Today, we are supplying almost 3.2 mmscmd to such plants and they are not getting any subsidy but they are sustainable at the current price,” Tripathi said. Almost 80 per cent of these plants using subsidised gas are still drawing gas. Power plants in Uttarakhand and Dabhol are still drawing gas, he added. According to the Petroleum Policy and Analysis Cell, around 242 MW of power is generated from 1 mmscmd of gas under standard conditions. Going by the amount of gas currently consumed, nearly 6,292 MW of gas-based power generation is currently operational out of the 25,000 MW stranded capacity in the country. Russell Wilson Jersey
Legacy issues continue to drag down Air India’s financial performance: Ashok Gajapathi Raju, Civil Aviation Minister
Even as the government has rolled out a national aviation policy and the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) has been kicked off, the civil aviation ministry still needs to sort out several issues. Civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju tells FE’s Malyaban Ghosh while Air India’s operational performance has improved, its legacy issues continue to drag down the airline’s financial performance. The turnaround plan has not helped solve any of the financial problems of the airline, the minister says. Excerpts: Has Air India’s performance improved in the past three years? If you look at different parameters, like the passenger load factor (PLF), on time performance (OTP) and utilisation of aircraft you will find that it has definitely improved from what it was during the period before that.On the financial side the problem still persists because there are legacy issues and the interest cost of R4,500 crore is hurting. Personally, I would like to see Air India to survive. However, if you leave it like that then chances of survival will become bleaker with every passing day because the financials are getting eroded. The turn around plan (TAP) or the financial reconstruction plan were good intentions and money has been infused from the government’s kitty, but it has not solved any problems. Beyond the period stipulated under the TAP, Air India would still be at square one. There is a lot thinking and suggestions going on to reduce Air India’s debt. Do you think issues related to lack of discipline among AI’s crew and pilots have reduced? I think discipline among Air India’s crew and other employees have improved otherwise their OTP numbers would not have improved. They have simulators in Mumbai and Hyderabad whose utilisation were quite low but now that has picked up and are close to the internationally accepted norms. Their efficiency would not have gone up if had there been a discipline issue among the employees. Their performance shows they are capable of performing but the financials are so bad that it is pulling them down. Kevin Labanc Womens Jersey
Airports Authority of India plans to integrate terminals at airport
The Airports Authority of India is moving closer to building new terminals proposed as part of phase II expansion of Chennai airport. A detailed project report has been submitted and a tender will soon be floated to find a contractor. The proposal to build two buildings after demolishing the old ones and integrate them with the steel and glass terminals currently being used was announced when the new terminals were inaugurated in 2013. Airport director G Chandramouli said, “We will be holding meeting with stakeholders [airlines and terminal users] to finalise details.” The buildings, AAI hopes, will help push the aiport’s passenger capacity to 30 million from the existing 23 million. The old domestic building is lying unused while the old international building has been integrated with the new building and is being used as an international arrival. As the phase II expansion was taking time, the authorities demolished a wall, expanded the arrival area and installed more baggage conveyors for international passengers a year ago. Sources said that the design of the new building would be in sync with the steel and glass buildings that were opened in 2013. Xavier Rhodes Womens Jersey
100% FDI in Airlines Poses Threat To National Security
Allowing 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) in scheduled Indian carriers could poses a serious “security threat” to the country’s “national security”, the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) has told the government. FIA has termed the government’s decision to relax the foreign investment norm to 100% as “unprecedented” in its latest salvo against the move. The decision on FDI has not only left the aviation industry bewildered but even many in the government have questioned the move. FIA consists of IndiGo, SpiceJet, Jet Airways and Go Air, which have a combined domestic market share of around 80%. “By India permitting 100% FDI in scheduled airlines, the Indian government will have no visibility on where control lies. Such a move could also have serious repercussions on India’s national security,” FIA said in a letter earlier this month. “Such foreign owned and controlled ‘’Indian’’ airlines will also gain unhindered access to defence airfields in India. In this connection, it is also pertinent to note that countries, whose diplomatic relations with India are strained, may also use this window (of opportunity) to gain access to India,” it pointed out. The FIA has argued that “no substantive country” allowed 100% FDI in airlines. “While the purported objective appears to be to bring in substantial investment into India, in fact, little or no investment will result from this, In addition, this decision will result in permanent damage to the domestic aviation industry and to India’s aim of building global international hub airports and global airlines in India. This decision has the potential to create permanent foreign monopolies on key routes into and out of India to the detriment of the Indian consumers.” Kyle Williams Jersey
Overall power shortage down to 0.7 per cent in 2016-17: Government
The government today said that the energy shortage has came down to 0.7 per cent in 2016-17. “Energy Shortage reduced from 4.2 per cent in 2013-14 to 0.7 per cent in 2016-17,” the power ministry said in a statement. The energy shortage in 2014 was 42,428 MU (million units) (4.2 per cent), which came down to 7,595 MU in FY’17 (0.7 per cent), it said. The statement is on the three years achievements of the government. The ministry further said that “peak energy shortage in 2014 was 6,103 mw (4.5 per cent) which came down to 2,608 mw (1.6 per cent) in 2017.” The ministry further said that India has turned around from a net importer of electricity to net exporter by exporting around 6,444 MU to Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar in 2016-17. The total power capacity increased by nearly a third from 243 GW in March 2014 to 320 GW in March 2017. Total installed capacity increased by 33.3 per cent to 3,26,849MW till 2016-17, it said. There has been 40 per cent (more than one third) increase in transmission capacity from 5,30,546 MVA in March 2014 to 7,40,765 MVA in March 17, the ministry said. A total of 26 states and one union territory has joined UDAY (Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana) which seeks to turn around discoms. “Almost 85 per cent UDAY bonds have already been issued (Rs 2.32 lakh crore out of total Rs 2.72 lakh crore) leading to less rate of interest for DISCOMs. This has led to savings of nearly Rs 12,000 crore,” it said. Davon House Jersey
BHEL commissions 270 MW thermal unit in Nashik district of Maharashtra.
State-run power equipment maker BHEL today said it has commissioned a 270 megawatt (MW) thermal unit at Sinnar in Nashik district of Maharashtra. The newly commissioned unit is part of RattanIndia Nasik Power Ltd’s 5×270 MW thermal power project. “This is the fourth unit to be commissioned at this project. Significantly, the milestone has been achieved within 35 days of commissioning of the third unit,” Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) said in a BSE filing. BHEL said so far it has successfully commissioned 14 sets of 270 MW rating in the country, including nine sets for the RattanIndia group. Alex Anzalone Authentic Jersey
Overall power shortage down to 0.7 per cent in 2016-17: Government
The government today said that the energy shortage has came down to 0.7 per cent in 2016-17. “Energy Shortage reduced from 4.2 per cent in 2013-14 to 0.7 per cent in 2016-17,” the power ministry said in a statement. The energy shortage in 2014 was 42,428 MU (million units) (4.2 per cent), which came down to 7,595 MU in FY’17 (0.7 per cent), it said. The statement is on the three years achievements of the government. The ministry further said that “peak energy shortage in 2014 was 6,103 mw (4.5 per cent) which came down to 2,608 mw (1.6 per cent) in 2017.” The ministry further said that India has turned around from a net importer of electricity to net exporter by exporting around 6,444 MU to Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar in 2016-17. The total power capacity increased by nearly a third from 243 GW in March 2014 to 320 GW in March 2017. Total installed capacity increased by 33.3 per cent to 3,26,849MW till 2016-17, it said. There has been 40 per cent (more than one third) increase in transmission capacity from 5,30,546 MVA in March 2014 to 7,40,765 MVA in March 17, the ministry said. A total of 26 states and one union territory has joined UDAY (Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana) which seeks to turn around discoms. “Almost 85 per cent UDAY bonds have already been issued (Rs 2.32 lakh crore out of total Rs 2.72 lakh crore) leading to less rate of interest for DISCOMs. This has led to savings of nearly Rs 12,000 crore,” it said. Marquette King Womens Jersey