Latest news with #ArunMaheshBabu
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Litter in public, land on VMC's LED screens
Vadodara: In a unique move to tackle public littering, the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) has begun flashing photos of people caught dumping garbage in public spaces on large LED screens installed at key city crossroads. These screens, usually used for advertisements and civic messages, now double up as a public awareness tool. Over the past month alone, the civic body displayed images of 70 people caught littering across the city. The initiative is part of VMC's intensified crackdown on public nuisance, including open garbage disposal, urination, and spitting. Using its extensive CCTV network and City Command and Control Center (CCCC), the corporation has identified nearly 500 such offenders since Jan this year. "We forward these images to the respective ward offices for further action," said Manish Bhatt, director of VMC's IT department. "We have high-resolution cameras and a robust surveillance system that supports our cleanliness efforts." The campaign gained momentum after new municipal commissioner Arun Mahesh Babu assumed office. Under his leadership, VMC adopted a stricter policy, including the imposition of maximum fines and other measures to improve sanitation standards. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Victoria Residents Born 1945-1985 With No Life Insurance Could Be Eligible For This Golden Insurance Undo "Displaying these images is part of our broader initiative to instill civic responsibility," Bhatt explained. "It's not meant to shame individuals, but to raise awareness about the consequences of littering." Despite concerns over public exposure, VMC officials said that most faces in the images are unclear. So far, no individual has approached the corporation objecting to their photo being shown on screens or posted on social media. Vadodara's inconsistent performance in the national Swachh Survekshan rankings has also pushed the civic body to adopt more visible and aggressive steps. Once among the top 10 cleanest cities, Vadodara had dropped to the 33rd position in recent years before making a modest recovery.
Indian Express
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Pothole-ridden roads in Vadodara: VMC gives week's time to contractors to complete repair work
Vadodara Municipal Commissioner Arun Mahesh Babu on Tuesday chaired a review meeting with the roads, drainage and water supply department and contractors to 'stress on coordination' and also 'fix accountability' to improve the quality of roads in the city. The civic body has given a week's time to the contractors to complete the road repair work. The government departments in Vadodara have started repairing potholes on damaged roads within Vadodara city limits as well as the Ahmedabad-Mumbai National Highway 48 even as the rains have taken a pause. The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) meeting came a day after Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel expressed disapproval over the conditions of the roads across the state. Babu told The Indian Express, 'I took a review meeting of all the contractors involved in the road, drainage and water works. We have assessed that most of the potholes in the city are not because of the road department but because of the drainage and water department works, where roads were opened up for laying drainage or water lines. Then they (these departments) were not able to completely repair it, which is part of their scope of work. That is because it takes more time for the settlement of repaired roads and the monsoons had already arrived…' Stating that the contractors have been given a week to complete the repair work, Babu said, 'After reviewing the situation, we have given one week to the contractors to repair the roads so that all the engineers can ensure it is completed. What they do is fill a mixture of hot mix and cold mix and not even roll it well… Because if the defect liability period is five years, they have to adhere to it. We have strictly told them that if it is not done that way, we have to deduct the penalty. If the contractors are blacklisted three times, we will follow the further process…' Babu said that 11 notices have been issued to deputy engineers in the city, including two notices of Zones on Monday. 'These engineers will now issue notices to respective contractors and take penalty from them… The issue is at the same scale in almost every zone. I have also asked for detailed reports from the executive engineers. The deputy engineers will certify the reasons…,' said Babu. Babu added: 'Of the nine notices issued last week, four were issued to the water and drainage departments. There can be a coordination issue, not blame games. The work should be to the satisfaction of the people, not the engineers…' Babu also confirmed that the VMC has contacted several 'experts' from across the country to recommend long-term solutions. 'A team of the Department of Hydrology of IIT Roorkee is visiting Vadodara to evaluate the long-term projects for developing an integrated drainage and ground water management programme for the city… We are also calling experts like infrastructure companies such as Tata Projects, L&T and IRB to see how RCC (Reinforced Cement Concrete) roads can be planned for Vadodara as a long term solution. Even if it costs more, it will improve the quality of roads… we are trying to understand their working model,' Babu said. NHAI undertakes repair work Days after a 15-kilometer stretch near Vadodara city of the NH48 highway connecting Ahmedabad to Mumbai witnessed a massive traffic jam following heavily damaged roads due to the onset of monsoon, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has undertaken the repair work between Vadodara to Bharuch for resurfacing the stretch from Jambuva and Por in Vadodara district to the Narmada bridge in Bharuch. Officials said that NHAI has deployed 63 machines, including 21 tractors and over a hundred labourers to expedite the recarpeting of the highway, which is a major mode of transport between Gujarat and Maharashtra. The NHAI has also deployed an emergency response team to ensure that traffic movement can be managed smoothly along with the repair work that is being carried out round-the-clock.
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sustainability Economics and Gujarat Power Corporation Limited Sign MoU to Accelerate the Convergence of AI and Clean Energy
Ahmedabad- India, Feb. 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a groundbreaking move to accelerate the convergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and clean energy, Sustainability Economics and Gujarat Power Corporation Limited (GPCL) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This strategic partnership aims to integrate two transformative megatrends through an innovative approach, fostering the growth of AI infrastructure powered by clean energy Economics, a global leader in AI advancement, is headquartered in Singapore and the United States, with a major development center in Bengaluru, India. The company is laying the foundation for an AI driven future by playing a critical role in the end-to-end AI ecosystem, powering every building block of AI. Their global focus includes developing AI cloud parks, offering AI infrastructure as a service, and sector-specific AI use cases by customizing open-source and proprietary LLMs and AI agents. Gujarat Power Corporation Limited (GPCL), a state government-owned entity in India, has been at the forefront of renewable energy development in Gujarat. The corporation has spearheaded the establishment of multiple renewable energy plants in the state, reinforcing its commitment to a sustainable future and playing the crucial role in meeting the state's growing energy needs. Under this collaboration, Sustainability Economics and GPCL will work together to source the most optimal clean energy mix for AI cloud parks. Leveraging an intelligent energy management system powered by AI, Sustainability Economics aims to ensure its AI infrastructure operates efficiently with a scalable, reliable, and cost-effective clean energy supply. Mr. Kasu Venkata Reddy, CEO & Co-founder of Sustainability Economics stated, 'This partnership marks a significant step toward building next-generation AI cloud infrastructure powered by clean energy. By integrating AI with clean energy solutions, we are laying the foundation for a sustainable and scalable AI ecosystem.' Mr. Arun Mahesh Babu, IAS, Managing Director at GPCL added, 'The convergence of AI and green energy represents a pivotal moment for Gujarat's sustainable development. This partnership demonstrates the powerful symbiotic relationship between technological advancement and environmental responsibility, paving the way for a cleaner and more efficient energy future.' The partnership aims to explore the development of AI cloud parks that will be co-located with existing and upcoming clean energy parks, fostering the convergence of two major trends: AI and clean energy. Additionally, the partnership will explore new frontiers in green hydrogen, offshore wind, and energy storage, along with other areas of mutual interest. It will also focus on conducting comprehensive feasibility studies to optimize and secure low-cost capital for GPCL's existing and ongoing renewable energy projects. This collaboration between Sustainability Economics and GPCL aims to set a new benchmark for integrating AI with clean energy solutions, driving both technological innovation and environmental responsibility, by placing India at the forefront of AI and clean energy convergence on a global Emily@ Emily Smith Communications Manager Sustainability EconomicsSign in to access your portfolio
