Latest news with #rickshaws
IOL News
01-08-2025
- Business
- IOL News
While you sleep, India and China are stealing the future
India's first Made-in-India Surgical Robot - the SSI Mantra - developed by SS Innovation, was installed in Pune's Noble Hospital last year. The tech was designed to make surgeries smoother, safer, and precise. Image: LinkedIn A TAXI pulls up in Mumbai with no driver, trains glide at 350km/h without conductors, cargo planes cross continents with empty cockpits, and surgeons in Seoul perform heart surgery on patients 500km kilometres away using robotic hands. This isn't science fiction - it's Tuesday morning in Asia. While America scrambles to catch up and Britain debates regulations, the real AI revolution is happening in the East. The question burning in every South African mind should be: are we watching the future unfold, or are we about to become its casualties? The eastern dragons breathing fire on Silicon Valley - India's Digital Dominance Remember when the world mocked India's "jugaad" innovation? They're not laughing anymore. Indian AI companies are now making Silicon Valley executives lose sleep. Bangalore's Ola deploys self-driving rickshaws navigating impossible traffic while Tesla's cars still need human intervention. Indian AI doctors perform remote surgeries - specialists in Delhi operating on rural patients using robotic arms from hundreds of miles away. Practo's radiologists use AI to read X-rays for patients across three continents while they sleep. Meanwhile, Britain's NHS runs on fax machines where patients wait months to see human doctors. India's UPI system processes more digital transactions than the US and Europe combined, working seamlessly for village farmers and Delhi CEOs in 22 languages. - China's calculated conquest China operates 40 000km networks of driverless high-speed trains that never miss schedules while managing traffic lights and cargo flows without human intervention. AI drones deliver dinner to apartment balconies faster than couriers can climb stairs - while Amazon's program remains stuck in regulatory red tape. Most terrifying for Western generals: Chinese military drones make autonomous kill decisions. While American pilots remotely control drones from Nevada bunkers, Chinese AI coordinates battlefield tactics and attack strategies without human oversight. Most terrifying for the West? China's AI can now design new AI systems faster than human programmers. They're not just competing in the AI race - they're changing the rules entirely. The west's expensive panic attack Silicon Valley spent billions on ChatGPT demos that impress conferences but struggle with real problems. Tesla promises fully self-driving cars "next year" (for the eighth year running), while Chinese passengers commute in autonomous vehicles daily. Britain debates "ethical frameworks" while their NHS can't digitise records and trains need human drivers. The brutal truth: while the west debated, the east delivered everyday AI miracles. South Africa's moment of truth: catch up or fall behind forever South Africa will never lead the global AI race - that ship sailed during load shedding debates. But we face a more urgent question: will we catch up fast enough to remain relevant, or become a digital colony dependent on foreign AI masters? We have shocking successes most South Africans don't know about: Cape Town's Aerobatics uses AI drones spotting crop diseases with 95% accuracy - technology so advanced that Australian and European farmers buy it from us. Discovery Bank's AI protects 2.5 million accounts with fraud detection rivalling Silicon Valley. In 2024 alone, Microsoft trained 150 000 South Africans in AI skills - more than many European countries combined. South Africa's deadly arrogance India managed their 2024 elections using 1.5 million electronic voting machines and AI systems connecting with voters in multiple languages - we still count paper ballots by hand and argue about results for weeks. India's Operation Sindoor demonstrated AI-powered military precision with integrated command systems detecting hostile objects with millimetre accuracy - meanwhile, our defence force deteriorates so badly that tiny Lesotho now claims territorial rights to Free State and KwaZulu-Natal provinces. While global focus remains on domestic political narratives that emphasise external challenges and historical grievances, the real threat to our future prosperity emerges from technological obsolescence. We could deploy AI to monitor CCTV networks, patrol our coastlines, secure government infrastructure, detect municipal service failures, and prevent water system disasters before they occur. Yet institutional resistance persists, rooted in a mindset that assumes South African exceptionalism and external obligation rather than embracing global collaboration. This technological isolationism doesn't merely delay progress - it systematically weakens our strategic position relative to neighbouring states that once regarded our capabilities with considerable respect. The BRICS advantage: why geography Is destiny Here's South Africa's criminally underused weapon: our BRICS partnership with India and China. While Western countries impose sanctions and barriers, our alliance members eagerly share technology and expertise. India's UPI processes more payments than America and Europe combined - they'll help us build similar infrastructure. China's AI manages continental railways and drone deliveries - they're already investing in African infrastructure. Why beg Silicon Valley for scraps when BRICS partners offer full collaboration? Our Indian community bridges languages and cultures, accelerating this partnership while Britain struggles to attract Indian talent. Three scenarios: champion, survivor, or casualty We can rapidly leverage BRICS partnerships adapting Eastern AI for African contexts, making South African cities testbeds for global expansion. Or we slowly adopt foreign systems, paying premium prices while remaining dependent. Worst case: we debate endlessly while becoming economically irrelevant as our brightest minds emigrate. The question that defines our future The Western AI hype bubble is bursting. The real revolution happens in Mumbai and Shanghai, not San Francisco and London. The future belongs to countries building AI for real people solving real problems. South Africa stands at a crossroads. We can embrace our BRICS partners AI revolution, adapt it for African realities, and become relevant players in a multipolar digital world. Or we can keep debating while the future passes us choice isn't whether we'll lead - that option expired years ago. The choice is whether we'll remain relevant participants in humanity's next chapter or become footnotes in someone else's success story. The world is watching. India is building. China is scaling. Our BRICS partners are extending their hands. Time is running will South Africa choose? Sanjith Hannuman Image: File Sanjith Hannuman is the managing director of Avinash Consultants & Actuaries. ** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media. THE POST
Indian Express
07-06-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Not for public transport- Part 1: As rain lashes Pune, auto and cab fares bleed citizens dry
By Kavyaa Masurkar & Antara Kulkarni Since the start of the monsoon, commuters in Pune have been grappling with the dual challenge of uncooperative auto rickshaw drivers and soaring fares on app-based platforms. With many drivers either refusing to ply or demanding extra charge and cab aggregators quoting fares significantly higher than meter rates, passengers are left unsure of what a fair fare is and how much they need to pay.. 'It took almost an hour just to book an auto from Pimpri Chinchwad to Lohegaon. When I finally succeeded, the app showed Rs 715 for the ride,' said Trisha Dasgupta, a PR professional. She added, 'It's worrying how expensive and difficult travel has become in Pune. If we have to spend so much and wait so long, how will middle-class people manage? Either we need a personal vehicle or end up spending excessively on rickshaws and cabs.' Sai Bhandarkar, a second-year student at BJ Medical College, shared similar concerns. 'Cab and auto rates vary a lot, especially during the rainy season,' she said. 'Most of the time, we're expected to tip the driver up to 30% of the displayed fare just to get a confirmed ride. Also, if you check the same route more than three times on the app, the price shoots up by around 15%.' Surge pricing has only added to the chaos. With traffic delays, waterlogged roads, and increased demand during peak hours, commuters say that ride-hailing platforms are capitalising on the inconvenience. 'Especially when there's traffic and when many people are looking to book a ride, tend to increase their prices. It shouldn't be happening,' said Dhirendra Kulkarni, a presales professional. Meghna Menon, owner of Zenscrawl, a garment store in Koregaon Park, echoed similar feelings. 'Surge pricing for both autos and cabs has become a regular problem,' she said. 'With the metro network still incomplete, people like me don't have many options. The confusion between meter fares and app pricing only makes things worse. Commuting in Pune has become exhausting, and we're often left at the mercy of apps and drivers who take advantage of the situation.' A media professional talked about how an Uber driver duped her by asking for extra fare for putting on the AC in her cab. 'He said the ruling had just come the evening earlier and showed an old video to convince me. As there were so many new regulations coming up with aggregator vehicles. I believed him and paid an extra Rs 100, only to realise later that I had been duped. Despite raising a complaint, there was no follow-up or refund of the amount. This is what these services have come to.' At present, Uber autorickshaws in Pune ply by meter leaving many passengers already complaining about the higher-than-usual Bhowmick, a sales professional, said that if autos are plying by meters, the concept of surge pricing should not apply in Pune. 'The concept of surge pricing was meant to compensate for the demand – but that should have been there to compensate for the discounted first prices. So why should they be around now,' he said. Traveling in Pune during monsoon has always troublesome but with autorickshaws and cabs hiking their fares, it has become costlier too.
Express Tribune
17-04-2025
- General
- Express Tribune
Rickshaw ban hits commuters
The sudden ban on certain motor-cab rickshaws leaves commuters in a bind. PHOTO: JALAL QURESHI/EXPRESS As city's streets sprang to life on Wednesday morning, commuters were met with an unexpected roadblock: their trusty rickshaws were nowhere to be found on major routes. Students rushing to universities and office-goers heading to work were among those worst hit, struggling to find alternative rides as the overnight ban on "One Plus Two" and "One Plus Four" motor-cab rickshaws took effect without warning. The sudden disruption left many wondering why the city's traffic authorities had sprung this surprise on them. While the ban on rickshaws hauling six to nine passengers was strictly implemented on some routes like Johar to Qayumabad, the regular three-wheelers that carry two passengers or 'one-plus two' were seen flouting the ban on II Chundrigar Road. Two-month ban imposed on rickshaws on main roads The administration of Karachi division has imposed a two-month ban on the movement of specific categories of motor cab rickshaws on 11 major roads in the metropolitan city. The restriction applies to "One Plus Two" and "One Plus Four" motor cab rickshaws (MCRs) and will be enforced from April 15 to June 14, 2025. The ban was notified by Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi on Tuesday under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). It was imposed on the recommendation of the DIG Traffic Police. It is aimed at improving traffic flow and curbing congestion caused by unauthorised and illegal rickshaw routes and stands. According to the notification, violators will face legal proceedings under Section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), which deals with defiance of an order promulgated by a public servant. The ban on "One Plus Two" and "One Plus Four" rickshaws applies to the following main routes: g Sharae Faisal: From Awari traffic light signal to Madam Apartments near the airport g II Chundrigar Road: From Merewether Tower to Shaheen Complex Similarly, "One Plus Four" rickshaws are also restricted on the following corridors: g Shahrah-e-Qaideen: From Numaish Chowrangi to Nursery Market on Sharae Faisal g Sher Shah Suri Road: From Matric Board Office to Nagan Chowrangi in North Nazimabad g Shaheed-e-Millat Road: From Jail Chowrangi to Shaheed-e-Millat Expressway g Abdullah Haroon Road: From Do Talwar in Clifton to Hashoo Centre in Saddar via Hoshang Road and Khayaban-e-Iqbal g Do Talwar to Shahrah-e-Firdous: Extending up to Abdullah Shah Ghazi Mazar g Stadium Road: From Millennium Mall to New Town police station g Sir Shah Suleman Road: From Sir Habib Ibrahim Rahmatullah Road to Hassan Square and Karsaz g Rashid Minhas Road: From Drigh Road Railway Station to Sohrab Goth g Maripur Road: From Gulbai Truck Stand to ICI Bridge The decision stems from concerns over the increasing number of unauthorised and self-established illegal routes and rickshaw stands, which have been cited as significant contributors to traffic congestion. Commissioner Naqvi has instructed all SHOs to strictly enforce the ban within the remits of their police stations and initiate legal action against violators.
Reuters
26-01-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Thousands wait to return to northern Gaza, Trump urges Jordan, Egypt to take Palestinians
CAIRO, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of Palestinians waited, blocked on the road, to return to their homes in northern Gaza on Sunday, voicing frustration after Israel accused Hamas of breaching a ceasefire agreement and refused to open crossing points. A day after a second exchange of Israeli hostages held in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, the holdup underlined the risks hanging over the truce between the militant group and Israel, longtime adversaries in a series of Gaza wars. In central areas of Gaza, columns of people were waiting along the main roads leading north, some in vehicles and some on foot, witnesses said. "A sea of people is waiting for a signal to move back to Gaza City and the north, people are fed up and they want to go home," asked Tamer Al-Burai, a displaced person from Gaza City. "This is the deal that was signed, isn't it?" "Many of those people have no idea whether their houses back home are still standing. But they want to go regardless, they want to put up the tents next to the rubble of their houses, they want to feel home," he told Reuters via a chat app. On Sunday, witnesses said many people had slept overnight on the Salahuddin Road, the main thoroughfare running north to south and on the coastal road leading north, waiting to go past the Israeli military positions in the Netzarim corridor running across the centre of the Gaza Strip. Vehicles, trucks and rickshaws were overloaded with mattresses, food, and with the tents that used to shelter them for over a year in the central and southern areas of the enclave and volunteers were distributing water and food. Under the agreement worked out with Egyptian and Qatari mediators and backed by the United States, Israel was meant to allow Palestinians displaced from the homes in the north to return to their homes. But Israel said that Hamas' failure to hand over a list detailing which of the hostages scheduled for release is alive or to hand over Arbel Yehud, an Israeli woman taken hostage during the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 meant it had violated the agreement. As a result, checkpoints in the central Gaza Strip would not be opened to allow crossings into the northern Gaza Strip, it said in a statement. Hamas issued a statement accusing Israel of stalling and holding it responsible for the delay. 'DEMOLITION SITE' On Saturday, U.S. President Donald Trump instructed the U.S. military to release 2,000-pound bombs that his predecessor Joe Biden had ordered to be withheld from delivery to Israel over concern about their impact on the civilian population of Gaza. He also called on Egypt and Jordan to take on more Palestinians from Gaza either temporarily or permanently, and saying "we should just clear out the whole thing". "It's literally a demolition site, almost everything is demolished and people are dying there," he told reporters after a call with Jordan's King Abdullah. An official of Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that runs Gaza, reacted with suspicion to the remarks, echoing longstanding Palestinian fears about being driven permanently from their homes. Palestinians "will not accept any offers or solutions, even if (such offers) appear to have good intentions under the guise of reconstruction, as announced in the proposals of U.S. President Trump," Basem Naim, a member of the Hamas political bureau, told Reuters. Al-Awda Hospital officials said four people were wounded by Israeli fire, from soldiers apparently trying to prevent people coming too close. The Israeli military issued warnings to Palestinians not to approach its positions in Gaza and said soldiers had fired warning shots on several occasions but said "as of now, we are unaware of any harm caused to the suspects as a result of the shooting."
