Do not disturb the natural vegetation on the Varkala Cliff. It supports the soil consolidation of the formation. Photo: iStock/f9photos
Travel Guides & Articles
Nitish rolls out 80 more pink buses, pitches for women’s safe travel | Patna News
Patna: CM Nitish Kumar on Monday flagged off 80 pink buses meant exclusively for women travellers in various towns and cities, marking the second phase of their rollout. He also introduced e-ticketing for all 1,065 buses run by Bihar State Road Transport Corporation (BSRTC).The launch is part of the govt’s initiative to provide women with smooth, comfortable and secure travel within cities, towns and their adjoining areas. Officials described it as another step by the state towards women’s empowerment.Earlier, on May 16 this year, the CM had flagged off 20 pink buses. Of these, eight were allocated to Patna, four to Muzaffarpur and two each to Gaya, Darbhanga, Bhagalpur and Purnia. The buses quickly became popular with working women and college students, both in the cities and on routes extending to peripheral areas.In just two months since their launch, 33,000 women passengers had travelled on the pink buses, including 21,000 in Patna alone.The flagging-off ceremony for the 80 new buses was held near the CM’s official residence at 1, Anne Marg. Before the formal launch, Nitish inspected the buses and sought details from officials regarding the facilities provided.While the buses are painted pink, the conductors and other women staff wear pink uniforms, while drivers remain male as the state currently lacks women drivers licensed to operate heavy motor vehicles.The buses run on CNG and are equipped with GPS tracking, CCTV cameras, panic buttons, and mobile charging points near the seats. Fares are displayed according to distance.Deputy CMs Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha were present at the event along with principal secretary to CM Deepak Kumar, chief secretary Pratyaya Amrit, transport department additional chief secretary Mihir Kumar Singh, secretaries to CM Anupam Kumar and Kumar Ravi and transport commissioner Ashutosh Trivedi.
Travel Guides & Articles
Kerala’s Varkala cliff on UNESCO’s World Heritage for India tentative list: Details | Travel
The Varkala Cliff in Kerala, a unique geographical formation that faces the Arabian Sea, has been added to the Tentative List of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites for India. The formation, which dates back to the Tertiary period (about 2.6 million years ago according to Britannica), has evidence of tectonic changes, age-old sediment depositions and marine regressions, alongside ancient lignite seams, trace fossils and more. As for tourism, visitors love to check out the sunrise and sunset here, enjoying a leisurely walk adjacent to the cafes and shops on the cliff. With the cliffs getting a prestigious spot on the tentative list, the popular tourism spot is expected to get a lot more attention in the coming days.
The other properties from India on the list are Deccan Traps at Panchgani, Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra, Natural Heritage of Tirumala Hills in Andhra Pradesh, Geological Heritage of St Mary’s Island Cluster (Udupi, Kamataka), Meghalayan Age Caves (East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya), Erra Matti Dibbalu (Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh), Natural Heritage of Tirumala Hills (Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh) and Naga Hill Ophiolite (Kiphire, Nagaland). With these, a total of 69 properties are now on the tentative list. Alongside Varkala, 16 others are under the ‘Natural’ category, 49 are on ‘Cultural’, and three are under the ‘Mixed’ category.
What’s special about the cliff?
The Varkala Cliff has three sections – North, South and Edava Cliffs and is 6.4 km long in total. Such a landscape can’t be seen anywhere else in Kerala, and it is already named a ‘Geo Heritage Site’ by the Central Geological Programming Board (Such 94 sites exist in total, in India). The cliff is a fragile structure and is in danger due to the humid climate of the region and monsoons. Earlier, in a conversation with Onmanorama, Geological Survey of India Deputy Director General V Ambili said, “The weight mounted on the cliff should be reduced. Further constructions should be avoided. At least 600 m from the cliff’s edge should be made activity-free.”
Travel Guides & Articles
Ganga Expressway to cut Meerut-Prayagraj travel time to 6 hours, set to open by…
In the Hasanpur area, road construction and street lighting are already complete. The 23.6 km stretch of expressway is expected to be fully finished soon. Work on a rainwater drainage pipeline has also been completed.
The Ganga Expressway, being built between Meerut and Prayagraj, is moving towards completion. Much of the work is finished in Hasanpur tehsil of Amroha district, with only final touches left. Officials say vehicles could start using the road as early as next month.
In the Hasanpur area, road construction and street lighting are already complete. The 23.6 km stretch of expressway is expected to be fully finished by 12 October 2025. Work on a rainwater drainage pipeline has also been completed.
At Mangrola, a new T-point and overbridge have been built on the Hasanpur-Rahra road, along with four toll plazas on either side. The major bridge across the Ganga River in Pandapur is also ready.
Some finishing work was delayed due to rain, but officials expect it to be done within weeks. According to reports, the 594 km Ganga Expressway from Meerut to Prayagraj is set to open in November.
The new highway will make travel between Meerut and Prayagraj much faster and easier. Residents of Amroha will also benefit from better access to both cities. For devotees travelling to the Tigri fair or to Sangam in Prayagraj, the expressway will provide a quicker and more convenient route.
The road will also be a big help for lawyers and litigants in western Uttar Pradesh. According to media reports, they will now be able to travel to the Allahabad High Court in Prayagraj and return home on the same day.
Travel Guides & Articles
Forget city lights! These Astro-tourism destinations in India will blow your mind
Astro tourism, a new boom in India, whereby individuals who are immensely interested in astronomy are traveling the globe. Due to the increasing pollution of cities , gazing at stars appears unthinkable, hence going to these destinations to see a sky full of stars seems to be an option that one can try. And India boasts a great number of places that provide with an opportunity to see some of the most beautiful celestial events like stars, planets, meteor showers, and the Milky Way. Let us look at some places ideal for Astro tourism in India:
-
Business2 weeks agoThe Guardian view on Trump and the Fed: independence is no substitute for accountability | Editorial
-
Tools & Platforms1 month ago
Building Trust in Military AI Starts with Opening the Black Box – War on the Rocks
-
Ethics & Policy2 months agoSDAIA Supports Saudi Arabia’s Leadership in Shaping Global AI Ethics, Policy, and Research – وكالة الأنباء السعودية
-
Events & Conferences4 months agoJourney to 1000 models: Scaling Instagram’s recommendation system
-
Jobs & Careers2 months agoMumbai-based Perplexity Alternative Has 60k+ Users Without Funding
-
Podcasts & Talks2 months agoHappy 4th of July! 🎆 Made with Veo 3 in Gemini
-
Education2 months agoVEX Robotics launches AI-powered classroom robotics system
-
Education2 months agoMacron says UK and France have duty to tackle illegal migration ‘with humanity, solidarity and firmness’ – UK politics live | Politics
-
Podcasts & Talks2 months agoOpenAI 🤝 @teamganassi
-
Funding & Business3 months agoKayak and Expedia race to build AI travel agents that turn social posts into itineraries