Illusion art to adorn Salt Lake Bypass before Durga Puja
Durga Puja
. The Nabadiganta Industrial Township Authority (NDITA) is undertaking beautification work on the stretch with illusion art, painting of sculptures, road marking, traffic signage boards, repairing lighting at the median, and other works.
"The road markers, street furniture and sculptures along the stretch will get a fresh coat of paint. Traffic signages will also be put up for the convenience of motorists," said an official.
The median stretch will be beautified with illumination and more greenery. "Flower tubs will be put up to bring a more aesthetic look," said an official. Besides the Salt Lake Bypass stretch, the authorities will be splashing water on major roads across the IT hub to keep the roads clean and prevent dust pollution.
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A welcome gate to the IT hub is also coming up close to Nicco Park crossing. Officials said, planning is on to develop some streets into smart streets with smart bus stands, smart fencing, water ATMs, public art, and CCTV surveillance. —Suman Chakraborti
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Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
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Time of India
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- Time of India
BSRTC to launch app-based ticketing system for all buses
Passengers can now book tickets for all buses operated by the Bihar State Road Transport Corporation (BSRTC) through an online platform with the department preparing to launch its own dedicated app. The new facility will allow users to book seats, choose their preferred seat, view live availability and cancel tickets – all from their cellphones without the need for a physical ticket. The announcement was made on Saturday during the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Canara Bank, which, along with Worldline, will manage the online ticketing system. BSRTC administrator Atul Verma said around 100 buses would be brought under the pilot phase this month. From next month, the entire fleet will transition to the new online system. "Earlier, such a facility existed only for select interstate buses, such as Patna-Ranchi or Patna-Ghaziabad, and booking was managed by a private agency. Now, with our own app, intrastate bookings can also be done online," he said. "This facility will be of great help. People sitting anywhere can book tickets, view their booking status, check seat availability and choose the seat of their choice through live updates. If needed, they can cancel the ticket as well. All this can be done via cellphone and passengers will not be required to carry a hard copy of the ticket," Verma added. He said BSRTC currently operates a fleet of 941 buses and is in the process of adding 500 more ahead of Durga Puja. These additional buses will run from administrative divisions in Bihar to major destinations like Delhi, Chandigarh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana – regions where travellers often struggle to reach their hometowns during the festive season. He added that 80 more pink buses will be introduced by the end of Aug. Women drivers will be trained to operate these buses and in partnership with the health department, kiosks will be installed onboard. These kiosks will allow women passengers to purchase sanitary napkins and contraceptive pills at affordable prices. Transport minister Sheela Kumari congratulated her team and Canara Bank officials for facilitating a system that offers greater convenience to the public. She, however, stressed the need to consider the challenges faced by those in rural areas or people who are not familiar with digital platforms. "Be polite with such people who are not able to use the online facility. Alternative ticketing options should continue for those who may find the app difficult to use," she said.
Time of India
12-07-2025
- Time of India
Geopolitics nudges Kol tourists eastwards
Kolkata: Tour operators and travel agents are urging clients to avoid travelling west this Durga Puja and winter and instead look at destinations in Southeast Asia, the Far East and Australia. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The advice stems from the unprecedented situation that many westbound travellers found themselves in last week, when several hundred flights from Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi were cancelled, leaving passengers stranded in these hubs for 48-72 hours. With no direct flights to Europe or America from Kolkata, Gulf carriers offered the most convenient connection to the west. But the chaos following the closure of airspace after Iran launched a missile attack against a US airbase in Qatar forced the travel trade community to rethink itineraries for clients during the ensuing holidays. "Unless my clients insist on travelling to Europe or the US, I will advise them to explore Southeast Asia, Japan-Korea and Australia-New Zealand. There is a lot to see in this part of the world. Though normal flights have resumed in the Gulf, the disruptions over the Israel-Palestine conflict since Oct 2023 and the larger one this June due to the hostilities between Israel and the US on one side and Iran on the other have rattled us," said Travel Agents Federation of India national executive committee member Anil Punjabi. Preliminary trends show seven out of 10 customers prefer to travel eastward rather than to the Gulf or beyond. Some are wary of the situation escalating again. With the Russia-Ukraine war showing no sign of ceasefire despite US president Donald Trump's intervention, many feel avoiding the region until stability returns may be the best call for this Durga Puja and winter. Travel Agents Association of India national executive committee member Manav Soni said travel to the peaceful east could be a better bet. "Other factors, such as lower costs and visa waiver by countries in Southeast Asia, offer ease of travel. But the foremost factor is the assurance of safety," Soni said. "One can take risks while travelling for work or meeting families and friends. But families don't want uncertainty on vacations. " Punjabi also said for Southeast Asia countries, where a visa was required, the processing time was much less.
