Project to cost about ₹2.5 crore
Estimated to cost around ₹2.5 crores, this campaign includes cleaning the lanes, repairing water pipes, broken walls of houses along with sewer chambers in the selected lanes. The funding for this project has been secured by Jaipur Smart City Limited whereas JMC-Heritage has been chosen as the working agency. Notably, in 2015, the Heritage Walkway was developed by the Jaipur Civic Body in Ward 72. Starting from Chaura Rasta, this walkway ends at the Rajasthan School of Arts in Kishanpole.
While the authorities aim to give a facelift to the city by undertaking this project, residents believe that cleaning selective lanes will not make much difference in the long run. Notably, the Walled City houses over 6000 dirty lanes. However, as per the officials, the civic body does not have enough funds to clean up all the dirty lanes at present which is why they've chosen a few lanes currently.
Lanes created to facilitate ventilation are now covered in garbage
Founded by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh, Jaipur enjoys the tag of being the first planned city of India. Designed with the help of Indian architect Vidyadhar Bhattacharya, Jaipur showcases a variety of unique design details. These lanes, which will now be cleaned up and renovated are one of the features of Jaipuri architecture. These dirty lanes refer to the spaces that were left between houses to ensure proper ventilation in each house. While these lanes serve their main purpose, they have mostly been used as garbage dumping grounds by the people.
With inputs from the Times of India
LMC devises new action plan to boost cleanliness ranking
LMC has favoured the elimination of dumping grounds and scattering of garbage in the open to effectively shoot up the city's Swachh Survekshan 2022 ranking. The Mayor has also focused on the need to expedite the process of door-to-door garbage collection to significantly cut down on the open disposal and boost road cleanliness.
In addition to this, garbage pick-up points will be set up in each ward to park the domestic waste and other garbage collected during the door-to-door drive. From this point, the garbage will be directly taken to the treatment plants for proper disposal. The City Mayor has directed LMC officials to complete all the necessary preparations with promptness to get the 'Garbage Free City 7 Star Certification' for Lucknow.
- The structured action plan will go through the following checklist:
- Eliminate open dumping points in the city
- Ban the disposal and scattering of garbage in the open
- Implement door-to-door garbage collection drive
- Prevent street garbage from encroaching the road
- Connect all areas in the city with high functioning sewer lines
- Special focus on the cleanliness of public toilets
- Effective steps to boost groundwater level in Lucknow
- Construct rainwater harvesting systems in city parks
- Mechanical cleaning of sere lines
- Recycle and reuse water
As per reports, these pointers will round up the pilot project of waste management in the city. This programme will be initially implemented in only 2 wards of Lucknow, to be scaled city-wide later. The LMC will select the pilot locales on the basis of road width, picking only those areas which have narrow lanes which cannot be easily accessed by garbage carts. This pre-requisite will reveal the effectiveness of the door-to-door drive.
LMC to impose fines if disposed waste is not segregated
Once this doorstep garbage collection system is established, the LMC will take one step further and make arrangements to impose a fine for not segregating the garbage into wet and dry categories. Fines will also be imposed on shopkeepers if they do not hand out the garbage to the executive organisation of the corporation. Specific awareness drives will also be initiated in Lucknow to educate people about segregated waste disposal.
Master plan prepared for restoration
The GTDC has come up with a concept master plan for the restoration work, after consulting with the Department of Archives and Archaeology. The entire project is estimated to cost ₹29.7 crores. Laterite, natural stones and wood will be used for construction, in accordance with archaeological guidelines. Apart from restoring the fort walls, the plan also includes additional amenities for the convenience of tourists. These are:
- Enhancement of the water body and development of a recreational space
- Amphitheatre and Information centre
- Repair of the pathways among the fort walls
- Landscaping to create spaces along pathways
- Stabilisation of Entrance Bridge
- Reinforcing existing natural trails to form interconnected pathways
Construction of IKEA Mall in Gurugram to being in 2022
Expected to be finished in the next 3 to 4 years, the mixed use retail shopping destination at Gurugram will be based on a large format IKEA store. While the Ingka Group plans to start the construction of this mall in early 2022, timeline for the Delhi and Noida project has not been announced yet. According to Peter Betzel, the CEO of IKEA India, land in Gurugram and Noida has been procured already whereas the search for a suitable location in Delhi is still underway.
While emphasising on the importance of the Indian market globally, Peter Betzel said, "India remains one of the important growth markets for the Ingka group. We have the ambition to meet more than 200 million people by 2025." While talking about the upcoming expansion plans in India, the CEO said, "We are looking forward to open our first city store in Worli, Mumbai within this year."
Plans to expand in India with omnichannel approach
Notably, the first physical store of IKEA was launched in 2020 at Navi Mumbai, however, with the launch of the 'IKEA app' recently, the home furnishing brand has expanded its presence via omnichannel. With the help of the omnichannel approach, the company plans to increase its reach by establishing big and small physical stores while continuing its online presence. As of now, IKEA has marked online presence in Bangalore, Pune, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Surat and Baroda through this application.
Even with the outbreak of the pandemic, the company managed to move forward with its omnichannel expansion. According to the CEO, strict guidelines and COVID-mandated restrictions did not have any impact on the ongoing projects of the company. In line with the new normal, the furnishing brand has been working on strengthening its online presence in new markets as well as introducing various facilities like 'Click & Collect', home furnishing consultancy, remote planning and others.
IKEA to source 50% of products sold in India, locally!
Within the first three years of store operations, IKEA has managed to source 23% of the total items sold in India locally. However, in order to create more affordable products, the company plans on increasing this to upto 50% in the near future. This will not only help in reducing cost but also reduce carbon footprint and give a boost to the manufacturing sector in the country. Talking about the impact of this decision the CEO Betzel said, "This will enable lower prices for our customers but also help create more jobs, enhance skills, keeping costs low while reducing the environmental impact.".
With inputs from IANS
MoU valid for the next 2 years
Under the umbrella of this project, ISCDL will provide hands on support to the students of the university through out their journey right from the stage of ideation to product development, marketing while providing financial and other assistance as well. The Smart City Seed will appoint experts across various subjects to train and mentor students as per their need.
Apart from the ISCDL, the alumnus and faculties will also assist the budding entrepreneurs of the university in developing their feasible ideas into successful business establishments. Reportedly, this agreement is valid for two years, however, depending upon the end-result, the project may be extended further as well.
Special programs to be organised in the memory of freedom fighters
As per the officials, this project might get registered on the Guinness Book of World Record as well for being the largest painting in the world. Reportedly, the authorities will deploy around 2,500 painters to take up this humungous task. Apart from this painting, the government is planning to organise special cultural programs in the memory of these freedom fighters as well.
Every year, December 19 is observed as Kakori Martyrs' Day in India to mark the death anniversary of the four famous freedom fighters related to the Kakori Kand. These leaders of the independence revolution of India were hanged for their rebellion by the British Colonisers in the year 1927. Since the execution of Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaq Ullah Khan and Roshan Singh took place in Uttar Pradesh, the state government has decided to honour these freedom fighters in a grand way this year.
Tourist footfall to affect with commercial shut down
Going by reports, a counter appeal has been filed against the tribunal's order at the Supreme Court. Filed by the state department of archaeology and museums and others, this appeals to let the heritage hotels and tourist attractions stay unmoved.
According to the erstwhile NGT order, the commercial spaces stationed here are not in harmony with the objectives of the Wildlife Act, however, restaurants like ‘Padao’ and ‘Once Upon A Time’ have been working in accordance with the Rajasthan Transparency Public Procurement Act since 1982.
Similarly, the light and sound show at Kesar Kyari is a legendary display of rich folklore that attracts tourists round the year. Discontinuing these will have a direct impact on the tourist footfall across the region, pointed out reports.
A tug of war
Meanwhile, the PIL filed by environmentalist R Tiwari to stop these commercial activities have revealed that all restaurants operating in the earmarked area (forest area, wildlife sanctuary and the fort) violate the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 as well the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.
Since the fort is government property, belonging to the archaeological department, any sort of commercialization by the RTDC is strictly prohibited. It may also be noted that the NGT order was moved only after a thorough inspection of the tourist movement in the area and verification of claims regarding the encroachments, highlighted reports.
- With inputs from TOI
Guidelines eased for travellers' convenience
Released only two days ago, Maharashtra's travel norms were identified to be in divergence with the Union and have been duly revised to align with the national guidelines. The State Chief Secretary of Maharashtra on Thursday relaxed some of the erstwhile travel restrictions imposed on international and domestic travellers. As per reports, the revised order has been issued at the request of the BMC Commissioner.
Now, international flyers coming from high risk and ultra high-risk countries have to undergo a mandatory RT-PCR COVID test on arrival and a 7-day institutional quarantine. COVID-19 tests will be conducted on the 2nd and 7th days of the confined. Those tested positive will be shifted to the hospital. Negative flyers on the other hand have to further undergo a 7-day home quarantine.
It may be noted that this rule still does not align with the Centre's directives. According to the Union's guidelines, the state should quarantine only those who test COVID-19 positive at the airport.
Domestic travel relaxed
The latest guidelines also exempt fully vaccinated domestic travellers from producing a negative RT-PCR COVID test upon arrival in Maharashtra. Notably, unvaccinated or partially vaccinated passengers still need to fly with a negative report, conducted within 72 hours of boarding.
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