FASTag: In partial relief to highway commuters, 25% toll lanes to take cash till Jan 15

Agencies
December 15, 2019

New Delhi, Dec 15: To avoid chaotic scenes at toll plazas after directive to turn toll lanes into FasTag lanes across the country, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has decided to deploy marshals at all the plazas across the country to guide vehicles.

Besides, regional officers of the apex road development agency would personally monitor the congested toll plazas and based on traffic flow decide on marking lanes to cash lane subject to a cap of 25 per cent of the total lanes.

With the roll-out of all FasTag lanes plan kicking on Sunday, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has also relaxed its previous order which mandated declaration of all the toll lanes into RFID-based FasTag lanes. The move is aimed at minimising inconvenience to general public but is a temporary measure.

Accordingly, depending on the traffic pile-up at high traffic volume fee plazas, not more than 25 per cent FasTag lane of fee plaza maybe temporarily converted to hybrid lanes.

"It should be ensured that the least possible number of declared FasTag lane of fee plaza be converted into the hybrid lanes temporarily and further that at least 75 per cent lanes of every fee plaza remain declared and operational as FasTag lane of fee plaza in order to incentivize the vehicles carrying FasTag," the letter from MoRTH to NHAI said.

The Ministry has directed the NHAI to do a daily evaluation of the traffic and send a report to the Ministry to take corrective action.

"It is clarified that it is a temporary measure to be adopted for 30 days only to facilitate smooth flow of traffic so that no inconvenience is caused to the citizens," the Ministry has said in its communication issued on Saturday.

An NHAI official said that the true picture would emerge on Monday only given that Sunday is weekly off for most office-goers and commuters.

"We would take decisions depending on the situation. The actual traffic flow would be known only on Monday. But in order to ensure that the implementation is smooth, marshals are being deployed. The regional officers would be present tomorrow at congested toll plazas," said an official.

In a bid to promote digital payment through RFID technology-based FasTag, the government had directed NHAI to turn all toll lanes at toll plazas FasTag lanes from December 1. But given that many vehicle-owners are yet to shift to FasTag, the roll-out plan was deferred by a fortnight till December 14.

Shifting to FasTag is set to make traffic flow seamless at toll plazas thus saving time and money for vehicle-owners.

The FasTags affixed on vehicle windscreens enable toll to be debited automatically from a linked account with no need for the vehicles to stop at the plaza.

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Agencies
February 6,2020

Mumbai, Feb 6: The Reserve Bank of India, for the second straight time, on Thursday kept its key policy rate unchanged at 5.15 per cent, maintaining its accommodative policy stance as long as it was necessary to revive growth.

The central bank retained GDP growth at 5 per cent for 2019-20 and pegged it at 6 per cent for the next fiscal.

"Economic activity remains subdued and the few indicators that have moved up recently are yet to gain traction in a more broad-based manner. Given the evolving growth-inflation dynamics, the MPC felt it appropriate to maintain status quo,” the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) said.

The six-member committee voted unanimously to hold rates, but also said that there is “policy space available for further action”.

Between February and October 2019, the RBI had reduced repo rate by 135 basis points.

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News Network
July 26,2020

New Delhi, Jul 26: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday saluted the valour and grit of the Indian soldiers on the occasion of 21st anniversary of the 'Kargil Vijay Diwas'.

Shah took to Twitter and said that 'Kargil Vijay Diwas' is a symbol of India's proud, valour and steadfast leadership.

"Kargil Vijay Diwas is a symbol of India's proud, valor and steadfast leadership. I bow to the soldiers who, with their indomitable courage, drove the enemy from the inaccessible hills of Kargil and waved the tricolor there again. The country is proud of the heroes of India, who are dedicated to protecting the motherland," Shah tweeted (translated from Hindi)
The country is celebrating the anniversary of the 'Kargil Vijay Diwas'.

The Indian armed forces had defeated Pakistan on July 26, 1999. Since then, the day is celebrated as 'Kargil Vijay Diwas' to rekindle the pride and valour of the soldiers who took part in Operation Vijay.

The day marks the victory of Indian soldiers in recapturing the mountain heights that were occupied by the Pakistani Army on July 26, 1999, known as the Kargil War. 

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News Network
June 8,2020

Panaji (Goa)/Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), Bengaluru(Karnataka)/New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): With the government allowing the re-opening of restaurants and eateries from Monday, these establishments re-opened across several states on Monday including in Goa, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi, with necessary precautions in place amid COVID-19 crisis.

Restaurants reopened in Panaji today after relaxations in lockdown.

Speaking to ANI, Goa Hotel and Restaurant Association President, Gaurish Dhond said, "We expect that not more than 25 per cent of restaurants will reopen because our labour force is dependent upon migrant workers who have gone to their homes".

"Every guest will be checked with a thermal gun, we will provide them with a sanitizer and a digital menu most probably. We would like to request our customers to pay online. Residential hotels are also allowed to operate and guidelines have been issued for them," he added.

Bars are not allowed to operate, he added.

While religious places across the country were thrown open today, worship places continued to remain closed in Goa till June 30.

In Bhopal restaurants opened but with fewer customers venturing to eat outside.

Speaking to ANI, C Kumaran, Manager, India Coffee House, New Market said, "We will conduct a temperature check for customers at the entry point. Then the customers will have to wash and sanitize their hands only then they will be allowed to sit inside. Only two persons will be allowed to sit on a four-seat table."

"This restaurant has a seating capacity of around 120 persons which has now been reduced to 50. Even in the kitchen, staff capacity has been reduced to 50 per cent," he added.

Meanwhile, malls re-opened in Bengaluru today, people along with staff members were allowed to enter inside Garuda Mall while maintaining social distancing.

"As per government norms, we are following all the preventive measures. Staff and other people are being sanitized and then only allowed inside the mall. The mall has been deep cleaned. People entering the mall should have Aarogya Setu App installed in their mobile phones if not, they will be sent back," said John Joseph, Manager, Garuda Mall.

Restaurants re-opened in the national capital as Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal announced yesterday that all restaurants and malls are allowed to resume operations from today.

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