Travel agents and ITCs – you are invited to the last Travel News Thirsty event of the year!

No speeches, no presentations. Just networking.

Come join us in Sandton on Wednesday, October 23, from 17h00 to 19h00.

If you are a travel agent, please email rsvp@travelnews.co.za with ‘Thirsty’ in the subject line. Attendance is by invitation only, so it’s essential to RSVP and receive confirmation.

We look forward to seeing you there!

For pics of last year’s Thirsty’s event, click here.

Repair work on the Manesar to Palwal section of the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) Expressway will begin next week. The Haryana State Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC) has completed preparations for the project. A total of Rs 48 crore will be spent on repairing this 53 km stretch.

The budget has been approved by the High Power Purchase Committee of the Haryana government. Accidents often occur due to potholes across the roads, illegal cuts and broken railings. Along with the road repairs, all illegal cuts will be closed and the railings will be repaired, Jagran reported.

Although the entire KMP Expressway is in poor condition, the stretch between Manesar and Palwal is in the worst state. The road has sunk at many place and the tar layers have peeled off. There are more than 20 illegal cuts on this section of the expressway. The situation is especially concerning in Nuh district, where vehicles enter the expressway from unauthorised points due to these illegal cuts. As a result, drivers are falling victim to accidents on a daily basis.

Moreover, vehicles cannot maintain the prescribed speed of 120 kilometers per hour anywhere on the expressway due to its poor condition. Large potholes are present along the main carriageway creating problems for commuters especially during night. Furthermore, potholes near the Gurugram border, also add to the risk and inconvenience for commuters on daily basis.

About KMP Expressway

The six-lane Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) Expressway in Haryana spans a total length of 135.65 kilometers. It is an access-controlled, six-lane high-speed toll road, featuring elevated sections at road junctions, underpasses for cattle, cars, and tractors, barricading to prevent animal entry, and constant surveillance.

The expressway facilitates smooth transportation of surplus food grains, milk products, fruits, and vegetables from Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Kashmir to other parts of the country. Additionally, it provides faster access to the International Airport for vehicles coming from northern parts of the county.

Also Read: Gaur Chowk underpass update- Greater Noida residents to get traffic relief, set for completion in 6 months

CHANDIGARH: It is not only Gulf countries where women from India, who had gone there on the pretext of a job offer, got trapped; Malaysia has now become the new destination.

Women, especially from Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Kerala and Uttar Pradesh, are being taken to this Southeast Asian nation with promises of legitimate domestic work. Travel agents use the visa-free entry route to lure them, after which they are forced to live and work in conditions described as unstable and precarious.

In an advisory issued on September 9 this year, the High Commission of India, Kuala Lumpur (Labour Wing), in a document titled “Indian nationals getting stranded in Malaysia”, a copy of which is with this newspaper, stated: “The majority of the affected individuals are unskilled/semi-skilled labourers and hail from several states in India including Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Kerala and Uttar Pradesh. They are invariably misled with false promises of employment by unscrupulous agents in India and Malaysia.”

“The following issues of concern came to the notice of the High Commission: Indian nationals travelling under the pretext of tourism but intending to look for employment are often denied entry on arrival. Those who manage to enter the country often overstay beyond 30 days and are thus declared ‘illegal’. Entry is also refused to those Indian nationals who are genuine tourists but fail to provide valid documentation, including return tickets, proof of accommodation, and financial means,” it stated.

It further read: “It has been observed that unscrupulous agents in India and Malaysia entice a number of Indian nationals with prospects of employment and arrange their travel to Malaysia on the pretext of tourism to get visa-free entry and stay for 30 days in Malaysia. Such individuals become illegal after expiry of 30 days and are thus vulnerable to various forms of exploitation locally. They are also subjected to detention, imprisonment and associated legal actions by Malaysian enforcement agencies.”

The High Commission of India, Kuala Lumpur has further advised all State Governments, Protectors of Emigrants (PoE) and immigration officers to issue public advisories and exercise strict scrutiny of Indian nationals, especially ECR passport holders, departing to Malaysia from international airports including Trichy, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Cochin, Bengaluru and Amritsar.

It has also been stated that passengers deceived by agents should be encouraged to provide full details of such agents, and that information may be compiled and shared with state and central government authorities for appropriate action.