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Time of India
6 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Metro surpasses 50k ridership in 3 days
Indore: Indore's newly inaugurated Metro Train became an instant sensation, running 'overloaded' with thousands of enthusiastic citizens flocking to stations for a 'joy ride' on the city's latest mode of transportation. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In just three days since its launch, the Metro comfortably surpassed the 50,000 ridership mark, a clear indication of the overwhelming public excitement. However, the current surge in ridership is expected to see a considerable drop after June 7, when the initial 'Joy Ride' period, offering free rides, comes to an end. Despite recording over 15,000 daily ridership between 8am and 8 pm, a significant number of travellers are eagerly awaiting the extension of the Metro. Currently, the Metro operates on an approximately 6 km-long 'Super Priority Corridor' on the Super Corridor. However, citizens are keen for its expansion to the approximately 17.5 km-long 'Priority Corridor' that will reach Radisson Square. Many believe this extended route will provide a "suitable" transportation option due to the comfort, hassle-free nature, economical fares, and its pollution-free, eco-friendly ride. Among the hundreds of passengers enjoying the Metro's maiden run were employees of a major IT company located on the Super Corridor. "I reside near Bapat Square and currently commute to the office on my bike," shared Rajat Sharma, an IT professional. He expressed his eagerness for the Metro's extension, hoping for an economical, weather-proof, and comfortable ride directly between his colony and the IT company's entrance. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Sharma's colleague, Akshita, who lives near Chandragupta Maurya (MR-10) Square, highlighted her daily commute challenges. "The bus service recently stopped, and now every day, I have to somehow manage to reach the office," she told a local daily. "However, this will not be the case once the Super Priority Corridor of the Metro is commercially operational and extended." Madhu Mishra, an MBA student who also works part-time in Vijay Nagar, echoed the sentiment for a longer commercial run. "Apart from offering all these facilities and comfort, the Metro Train's fare is very reasonable," she added, emphasising the affordability of the new transport system. The initial overwhelming response clearly indicates Indoreans' readiness for a modern, efficient, and sustainable public transportation system. The true test and sustained success of the Indore Metro, however, will likely hinge on the timely completion of its extended corridors, promising a more comprehensive and impactful service for the city's commuters. Talk of The Town Overwhelming Enthusiasm: Despite light to moderate rains, thousands, including families, friends, and groups of children, flocked to the Indore Metro for its "Joy Ride," showcasing immense public excitement. Safety Measures & Awareness: While some excited passengers, mostly children, were seen pushing panic buttons, hanging on handlebars, or not maintaining distance from doors, security guards promptly educated them on rules and regulations, including penalties for violations. MPMRCL PRO Himanshu Grover stated no formal violations were registered, adding that over 150 security guards and extensive CCTV coverage ensure close monitoring. Big List of Do's, Don'ts and Violations with Penalties: MPMRCL issued a guideline for the passengers, which are pasted on all the stations and inside the Metro Train, to follow. Besides, information is also available to the public about the violations that can lead to penalties, imprisonment, or both. Free Rides Drive Initial Ridership: Many families and friends joined the "Joy Ride" due to the free travel offer. However, working professionals anticipate a significant drop in ridership once ticketing begins. Reasonable Fare Structure: Travellers have generally found the Metro's fare structure to be reasonable. For the current 5-station 'Super Priority Corridor' (Gandhi Nagar to Super Corridor-03), fares range from Rs 20 to Rs 30. The broader Yellow Line, eventually covering 28 stations, will have fare slabs from Rs 20 to Rs 80, depending on travel zones. Promotional Discounts: To encourage public adoption, MPMRCL launched a three-month promotional discount scheme: free QR tickets until June 7, followed by 75% off in the second week, 50% in the third week, and 25% off up to the third month. Impressive Initial Ridership: MPMRCL officials reported approximately 26,000 passengers on the first day, and around 16,000 each on Monday and Tuesday, highlighting the strong initial public interest. |
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
MP's Indore gets metro connectivity: Check stations, ticket prices and more
Madhya Pradesh's Indore now has metro services with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurating the first phase of the key project through video link from Bhopal, where he attended an event marking the 300th birth anniversary of Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar. The project marks the first metro rail service in Madhya Pradesh. At the inauguration event held in Indore, Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Tokhan Sahu said, "Prime Minister Modi has given a major gift to Indore in the form of metro rail service. Indore has become the 24th city in the country to launch metro services." – Officials said commercial operations started on Saturday on the approximately six-kilometre `Super Priority Corridor' between Gandhi Nagar Station and Station No 3 also known as 'Super Corridor-03'. – There are a total of five metro stations in the first phase. The fare for five-station stretch between Gandhi Nagar and Super Corridor-03 will range from ₹20 to ₹30, as per a TOI report. – The five Indore metro stations are Gandhi Nagar, Super Corridor 6, Super Corridor 5, Super Corridor 4, and Super Corridor 3, with passenger services commencing from the Gandhi Nagar station. MP government announced that all rides will be completely free in the first week of launch. – While metro stations in the city are designed to accommodate six-coach trains, currently three-coach trains with a capacity to carry 980 passengers are in operation, according to a PTI news agency report. – A total of 31.32 km of metro network is planned for Indore, the commercial capital of Madhya Pradesh, with an estimated cost of ₹7,500.8 crore. The complete network will have 28 stations, serving the city which currently has a population of over 35 lakh.
The Hindu
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Malayalam filmmaker Manu Swaraj on his directorial debut, ‘Padakkalam', a sleeper hit at the box office
Manu Swaraj was heartbroken when his directorial debut, Padakkalam, opened to not-so-positive reviews. But over three weeks into its release, he is a happy man, with the movie, a fantasy entertainer, emerging a sleeper hit at the box office. Padakkalam is the story of four close friends who are engineering students — Jithin (Sandeep Pradeep), Kannan (Saaf Boi), Ramsad (Arun Pradeep) and Nakul (Arun Ajikumar). The fantasy element kicks in when Jithin, an introvert trying to get over a break-up, discovers that one of their professors, Renjith TS (Sharafudheen) has a superpower which he uses to control his professional rival, Shaji KK (Suraj Venjaramoodu). Jithin too becomes a prey to Renjith's power. As the four friends set out to solve this, things go out of hand, leading to a laugh riot. 'They are frontbenchers,' Manu says. 'We have so many films that talk about the backbenchers and mostly about their mischief or unlawful activities. The world we created did not resonate with some of the reviewers. Thankfully word-of-mouth publicity brought in more viewers for the movie.' Manu, 30, specifies that the idea was born on February 23, 2023, while he was working out in a gym! He shared it with Nithin C Babu, his classmate, who has co-written the film. 'I prefer to call him the writer and myself the co-writer. The thought came at a time when our script pitches were getting rejected. I felt that this might be our last chance and so we decided that even if we did not get a producer, we would make the film somehow. We were that excited about the concept,' says Manu, who hails from Karamana in Thiruvananthapuram. Manu and Nithin have used some of their character traits in the film. 'For example, Jithin's mannerisms in the first half are Nithin's and the second half, mine.' Manu, an engineer, used to make short films even while in school. 'I did engineering because I wanted a degree and the subject interested me. But there was no plan to go along that path further.' The turning point was when he submitted one of his short films, Corridor, to an inter-college festival, while in his first year of engineering. 'I was not enthused about taking part in the contest. But the fact that my film will be projected on a big screen excited me. That decision changed my life,' he says. 'Basil Joseph, who had by then established his credentials with his short films and was assisting Vineeth Sreenivasan in Thira, was a judge of the competition. He appreciated the work and even suggested introducing a new award category — one for best upcoming talent and I won that honour. He also asked me to get in touch with him. When I called him, he asked if I was interested in assisting him in his debut film, Kunjiramayanam. That was an offer I couldn't resist.' Since Basil insisted that he finish his course before joining films, Manu did not work in his sophomore film, Godha. In 2019, Basil called him to assist in Minnal Murali. Even though Manu was asked to join as an assistant in the art direction team, he eventually 'worked in almost all the departments for the next two years. It was exciting, especially working with the VFX and special effects team. Those two years were like a film school. Working closely with Basil chettan helped me understand his process and approach to cinema.' It was Basil who was instrumental in greenlighting Padakkalam. 'Once the script was almost ready, I realised that it was a structure I learnt from Basil chettan and I was sure he would say yes to the project. I wanted him to play Renjith. Even though he loved the story, he couldn't do it because he had no dates. He was the one who told us that the project would need a big production house. He helped us get in touch with (producer) Vijay Subramaniam who brought in his close friend and producer, Vijay Babu. That helped us a lot because Vijay Babu came to our rescue on occasions when the shoot had almost got stalled.' Arriving at the cast Manu says Suraj was the only choice to play Shaji. 'The Malayali audience has given the license to do mad-cap comedy to a few actors and he is one of them.' There were several choices to play Renjith until Sharaf said yes. To play Jithin, they had approached 'a marketable actor', but that did not materialise. 'However, casting Sandeep for the role was the right decision. He understood the script and nuances in the first sitting itself. As for the other three boys, I chose Arun (Pradeep) after watching his YouTube videos. The character was curated for him. Saaf Boi and Arun (Ajikumar) impressed us with their rapport on and off the screen.' Discussing his approach to comedy, Manu says, 'The film worked because we did not deliberately generate laughs. It is the irony that created humour. I learnt it from Basil chettan. There is irony in the premise and we tapped into it. The biggest advantage we had were actors such as Suraj chettan and Sharaf ikka who can make comedy from thin air.' Manu notes that he is disappointed that not many makers are keen about making comedy films. 'If a comedy film flops that is a serious thing and that is why many filmmakers refrain from taking that risk. The golden era of Malayalam cinema has had some amazing comedy movies and I wish to see more such films.' That Manu is a die-hard comics fan, read DC Comics, is a given once you watch the movie. 'Nithin and I are hardcore DC fans. I am an atheist, but I always say that DC is my religion and Batman is my God! In fact, our actors had no clue about the DC characters and so we created a WhatsApp group, DC Boys, to educate them!' And the highpoint post release? Meeting Rajinikanth in Kozhikode where he was shooting for Nelson Dilipkumar's Jailer 2. 'We met him because of Suraj chettan who is acting in it. I still have not processed what all happened when we met him in his caravan. After watching the trailer, he said in the typical Rajini swag, Intha padam hit appa (This movie is a hit buddy)!' Before signing off, Manu says that he plans to make movies of all genres except 'first world, feel-good movies.' Padakkalam is running in theatres.
Time of India
26-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma seeks Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's help to set Up Defence Corridor in the state
Assam is pushing for a defence corridor to boost its economy and strengthen national security. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma met with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to discuss the project. The state government has also launched a policy to attract investment in aerospace and defence manufacturing. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday met Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh and sought his intervention in establishing the Defence Corridor in Assam At a meeting with Defence Minister at his official residence here, Chief Minister Sarma pressed Singh to set up the Defence Corridor in Assam, saying that 'this will fortify the needs of our armed forces in Eastern Frontier and strength Hon'ble Prime Minister's ' Make in India ' vision and create new economic opportunities in the North East.'Defence Minister Singh said his Ministry has been actively considering setting up a Defence Corridor in taking to micro blogging platform X (formerly Twitter), the Chief Minister wrote, "Had the honour to call upon Hon'ble Raksha Mantri Adarniya @rajnathsingh Ji today in New Delhi. We spoke about establishing a defence corridor in Assam. This will serve multiple purposes - fortify the needs of our armed forces in the Eastern Frontier, strengthen Hon'ble Prime Minister 'Make in India' vision and create new economic opportunities in the North East."The Government of Assam has formulated the Assam Aerospace and Defence Manufacturing Policy 2025 aimed at establishing the State as a leading hub for aerospace and defence manufacturing in India. The policy leverages Assam's strategic location, infrastructure, and natural resources to attract investments and foster innovation within the geographical location, proximity to Southeast Asia, and existing infrastructure are seen as advantages for attracting investments and creating an industry Assam Aerospace and Defence Manufacturing Policy 2025 provides incentives and support for companies in the sector, including capital subsidies, SGST reimbursement, transport subsidies, and production-linked policy recognises the need for a skilled workforce in the defence and aerospace sectors and offers incentives for skill policy focuses on key areas such as aircraft manufacturing, defence equipment production, avionics, MRO services, simulation, and R& vision is aligned with the Ministry of Defence's goal of achieving a turnover of $26 billion in aerospace and defence manufacturing by 2025, including $5 billion in State Government is actively seeking partnerships with both domestic and international defence manufacturers, as well as startups and technology on Monday met Union Civil Aviation Minister, Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu and discussed expanding air connectivity and infrastructure in the Northeast Union Minister assured the Chief Minister that work for Silchar's greenfield airport will begin this year and the crucial Rupsi airport will also be expanded. Naidu also informed Sarma that Jorhat, Dibrugarh and Silchar Airports will soon be connected to more Indian cities through new flight also explored the possibility of getting several more first-time fliers airborne, aimed at revisiting UDAN in the region by making it more effective, vibrant and taking to X (formerly Twitter) Chief Minister Dr. Sarma wrote, "Had an excellent meeting with Hon'ble Minister for Civil Aviation Shri @RamMNK Ji. We spoke at length on expanding air connectivity and infrastructure in the Northeast. Some key takeaways:Work for Silchar's greenfield airport is likely to begin this Minister has assured me that the crucial Rupsi airport will be expanded as Dibrugarh and Silchar will soon be accessible to more Indian cities with new flight will try and get several more first-time fliers airborne as we aim to revisit UDAN in the region, by making it more effective, vibrant and sustainable."
Time Out
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Candlelight illuminates Osaka this June during one night of art, music and markets
As Osaka transitions from spring into summer, the city comes alive with outdoor events. One of the most atmospheric among them is Nishi-Umeda Candle Days, which is happening on Wednesday June 4 and celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. For one night only from 4pm to 10pm, the vibrant Nishi-Umeda neighbourhood will be set aglow with candlelight. There will be candle art exhibitions and installations, live music, workshops, pop-up cafés, markets and more. To ensure the candlelight remains the star, surrounding buildings will go dark for two hours from 8pm to 10pm, allowing this side of Osaka to glow in warm, flickering light. Candle Corridor, 6pm-10pm Candle installations and formations by Osaka-based artists and students will be scattered across Nishi-Umeda, turning the neighbourhood into a glowing outdoor gallery. Many of these works are created especially for the event and can only be seen on this night. Nishiume Andon, 6pm-10pm At the Herbis Plaza square, paper bags decorated with children's dreams and wishes will be illuminated to create a heartwarming display of hope. Candle June Installation, 6pm-10pm This large-scale installation at Nishi-Umeda Park is expected to be the most photogenic feature of Candle Days, with a visually striking formation made from thousands of candles. Here, you can take part by writing a message or prayer on a white candle holder and adding it to the display for ¥500. Proceeds from the sale will go towards earthquake recovery efforts in the Noto Peninsula. Live music and concerts The Osaka Symphony Orchestra will perform beside the Candle June installation at 6pm and 9pm. Over at Herbis Plaza's Organ Square, a theatre organ concert will serenade the audience with tunes that include hit anime songs at 7pm and 8pm. Ghibli fans should head to Hilton Plaza East's atrium, where the Japan Century Symphony Orchestra ' s string quartet will perform music by the acclaimed Joe Hisaishi – including tracks from Ghibli classics such as My Neighbor Totoro and Howl's Moving Castle – at 7.30pm and 8.30pm. Workshops Those looking for a hands-on experience can join one of the workshops. The pressed flower botanical candle session requires advance booking, while the candle-making and the message candle workshops are open to walk-ins on a first come, first served basis. Food and markets If you're planning to stay out the whole evening, take a break at the Herbis Plaza Candle Café, which is serving themed drinks and snacks created just for the event. Meanwhile, two markets will run concurrently on the night. The Everlasting Flower Market (Breeze Breeze, 4pm–9pm) offers floral goods while the Candle Park Market (Nishi-Umeda Park, 4pm–10pm) features handmade candles with proceeds benefiting disaster relief charity Love for Nippon. Do note that in the event of rain, Nishi-Umeda Candle Days will be postponed to the next day, Thursday June 5. For more information, check the event website.
