Free Wi-Fi in NDMC public toilets soon

January 6, 2016

New Delhi, Jan 6: Smart public toilets equipped with rooftop solar panels, Wi-Fi, ATM, vending machines and water ATM facilities will soon be launched by the New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC).

The first toilet under the pilot project with new design will be launched on Rafi Marg near Parliament, said NDMC chairperson Naresh Kumar.

The green, VIP area serviced by the New Delhi Municipal Council is also the most frequented by foreign tourists and the modern toilet would help it get closer to its aspiration of showcasing itself as a “Smart City”.

An official said the design of the Wi-Fi equipped toilet was selected after a public competition among architects and urban planners.

The civic agency aspires to convert public toilets into public amenities centre. There are already 190 public toilet utilities available in NDMC areas spread over 43 sq km with a population of about 2.5 lakh as per 2011 census.

Naresh Kumar said while inviting proposals in the competition, the participants were told that the design should gel with monuments and heritage buildings in the area including India Gate, Rashtrapati Bhawan, Parliament, Supreme Court, Connaught Place, Jantar Mantar and bungalows designed by British architect Edwin Lutyens before Independence. He said 12 participants submitted their innovative design and ideas for the public toilet and the first prize carried a purse of Rs 1 lakh and the second prize, Rs 50,000. The first prize went to IndiGer Team.

The NDMC area is also being assessed for cleanliness as part of a competition among 75 cities under the Swachh Bharat Mission of the Central government.

Kumar interacted with the Ranking Survey Team and briefed its members about actions taken for good sanitation along with provision of public toilet units. He also shared the civic agency’s vision for making the NDMC area a Smart City by ramping up services in the field of providing civic amenities such as cleanliness, water supply, electricity, roads, sewers and e-governance.

The Ranking Survey Team also interacted with the senior officers of Public Health, Horticulture and Civil Engineering Departments of NDMC, a statement said.

The council will also showcase before the team its activities under the Swachh Bharat Mission.

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Over 58 lakh names dropped from draft voter list in Bengal ahead of polls

News Network

December 16,2025

The deletion of over 58 lakh names from West Bengal’s draft electoral rolls following a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has sparked widespread concern and is likely to deepen political tensions in the poll-bound state.

According to the Election Commission, the revision exercise has identified 24 lakh voters as deceased, 19 lakh as relocated, 12 lakh as missing, and 1.3 lakh as duplicate entries. The draft list, published after the completion of the first phase of SIR, aims to remove errors and duplication from the electoral rolls.

However, the scale of deletions has raised fears that a large number of eligible voters may have been wrongly excluded. The Election Commission has said that individuals whose names are missing can file objections and seek corrections. The final voter list is scheduled to be published in February next year, after which the Assembly election announcement is expected. Notably, the last Special Intensive Revision in Bengal was conducted in 2002.

The development has intensified the political row over the SIR process. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress have strongly opposed the exercise, accusing the Centre and the Election Commission of attempting to disenfranchise lakhs of voters ahead of the elections.

Addressing a rally in Krishnanagar earlier this month, Banerjee urged people to protest if their names were removed from the voter list, alleging intimidation during elections and warning of serious consequences if voting rights were taken away.

The BJP, meanwhile, has defended the revision and accused the Trinamool Congress of politicising the issue to protect what it claims is an illegal voter base. Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari alleged that the ruling party fears losing power due to the removal of deceased, fake, and illegal voters.

The controversy comes amid earlier allegations by the Trinamool Congress that excessive work pressure during the SIR led to the deaths by suicide of some Booth Level Officers (BLOs), for which the party blamed the Election Commission. With the draft list now out, another round of political confrontation appears imminent.

As objections begin to be filed, the focus will be on whether the correction mechanism is accessible, transparent, and timely—critical factors in ensuring that no eligible voter is denied their democratic right ahead of a crucial election.

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India’s Tougher Pilot Fatigue Rules: Why IndiGo’s Operations Crashed Into Turbulence

News Network

December 6,2025

New Delhi: IndiGo, India’s largest airline, faced major operational turbulence this week after failing to prepare for new pilot-fatigue regulations issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The stricter rules—designed to improve flight safety—took effect in phases through 2024, with the latest implementation on November 1. IndiGo has acknowledged that inadequate roster planning led to widespread cancellations and delays.

Below are the key DGCA rules that affected IndiGo’s operations:

1. Longer Mandatory Weekly Rest

Weekly rest for pilots has been increased from 36 hours to 48 hours.

The government says the extended break is essential to curb cumulative fatigue. This rule remains in force despite the current crisis.

2. Cap on Night Landings

Pilots can now perform only two night landings per week—a steep reduction from the earlier limit of six.

Night hours, defined as midnight to early morning, are considered the least alert period for pilots.

Given the disruptions, this rule has been temporarily relaxed for IndiGo until February 10.

3. Reduced Maximum Night Flight Duty

Flight duty that stretches into the night is now capped at 10 hours.

This measure has also been kept on hold for IndiGo until February 10 to stabilize operations.

4. Weekly Rest Cannot Be Replaced With Personal Leave

Airlines can no longer count a pilot’s personal leave as part of the mandatory 48-hour rest.

Pilots say this closes a loophole that previously reduced actual rest time.

Currently, all airlines are exempt from this rule to normalise travel.

5. Mandatory Fatigue Monitoring

Airlines must submit quarterly fatigue reports along with corrective actions to DGCA.

This system aims to create a transparent fatigue-tracking framework across the industry.

The DGCA has stressed that these rules were crafted to strengthen flight safety and align India with global fatigue-management standards. The temporary relaxations are expected to remain until February 2025, giving IndiGo time to stabilise its schedules and restore normal air travel.

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