With e-buses, daily commute gets a quiet makeover in Panaji
Panaji, A fleet of clean, comfortable and silent electric buses has brought about a paradigm shift in public transport in Panaji city, amid a growing number of residents embracing the change.
As part of the Centre's Smart City Mission, 48 such e-buses are crisscrossing the length and breadth of Goa's capital, ferrying thousands of commuters daily, under the Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited project.
Jove Costa, Public Engagement Officer at IPSCDL, told PTI that several residents are ditching their private vehicles in favour of these electric buses.
The fleet, which includes 12-metre, 9-metre, and 7-metre buses, has been introduced by the state-run Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited, under the Panaji Smart City project being implemented by the Pramod Sawant government in Goa, he said.
Between July 2024 and March 2025, he said, nearly 1.7 million commuters travelled on these buses, which cumulatively covered 8.8 lakh km.
'People are happy with the convenience of using these buses for travel within the Panaji city,' Costa said.
The official said the introduction of digital modes of payment for tickets has helped boost ridership.
'About 33 per cent of the fares collected came in through digital means like UPI, debit or credit cards, and most importantly through our smart transit card where people make a one-time purchase and then recharge it,' he said. The official said that close to 19,500 smart cards have been generated for bus users.
'The upward trend in footfall indicates how people are accepting this smart mode of transport. It is smooth, low-cost, and helps cut down pollution too,' he said.
With more residents preferring to travel by these air-conditioned e-buses over their private cars and two-wheelers, the city roads have started getting decongested, the official said.
'The buses have helped lower emissions and fuel use, making daily travel cleaner. They have ramps to provide easier access to the physically challenged,' he said.
Commuter Laxmi Desai said the e-buses are very comfortable, and she is particularly happy as tickets can be bought through UPI.
'It's very good for those who don't carry cash. The buses are nice and air-conditioned, so we don't feel stressed,' she said.
Ashok Shetty, a businessman from Panaji, lauded the initiative. 'We now don't have to travel by bike or car,' he said. Like Desai, he said he also finds the UPI option convenient.
'I urge people to use these e-buses, which reduce traffic jams and pollution,' he added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Israel-Iran conflict in 'decisive phase' after US strikes, say experts
The Israel-Iran conflict has entered a "decisive phase" after the US bombed three major Iranian nuclear sites Sunday morning, feel strategic affairs experts with some of them arguing it was Washington's "responsibility" to not get involved in the military standoff. The US attacked Iranian nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan, bringing itself into the Israel-Iran conflict. Later, US President Donald Trump said the Iranian nuclear sites were "totally obliterated". Former diplomat and author Rajiv Dogra criticised the US move and said only time will tell whether there has been a "radiation leak or if that has been contained in one way or the other" after the strikes. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cardiologist Reveals: The Simple Morning Habit for a Flatter Belly After 50! Lulutox Undo Some experts underlined the old civilisational ties between India and Iran to say the bilateral relations will "suffer in the process" as the Iran-Israel confrontation has intensified with the US involvement. They warned that if Tehran chooses to close the Strait of Hormuz -- the critical oil corridor connecting the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea -- in retaliation to the US strikes, the global economy as well as the Indian economy would be severely impacted. Live Events "Iran naturally will look at all options that are available to it. Closing the Strait of Hormuz or attacking shipping going through it are the options that seem it (Iran) might exercise," Dogra conjectured. If it does that, naturally all countries getting oil from the Gulf nations through the strait would get affected, in terms of supplies and eventually soaring oil prices, he said. "So, it will be naturally hurtful for the world economy and the Indian economy. Besides our industries, even the common people who depend on petrol for vehicles will get affected," the former diplomat told PTI. He said the US has simply played the role of a "spoiler". "Even if there was a chance for things to deescalate, the US strikes have made sure that things would not deescalate quickly. As almost a sole superpower still, it was its responsibility that it should not have got into the act," he said. Dogra said the US could have played the role of "stabiliser" in a situation which is already quite serious. Immediate resolution of this conflict doesn't seem likely now, he argued. The former diplomat said that once the nuclear facilities of a country are damaged in attack, then "all bets are off". "Because there are international regulations which forbid escalation to the extent that nuclear site is attacked. Radiation leaks can affect many many people and many many generations. Not just in the country where it is attacked but also in nearby nations." Another former diplomat and strategic expert Dilip Sinha said, "The war has now entered a decisive phase." "Israel had already gained air superiority over Iran. Now America is getting involved and it is causing such a heavy devastation to the nuclear installations of Iran," he added. Iran's capacity to retaliate is "considerably reduced" now, Sinha said. He also echoed Dogra's views on the possibility of closure of the Strait of Hormuz and its ramifications, economic and otherwise, for India and other countries importing oil from the Gulf region. He argued that if the critical corridor is closed, not just the supply will be impacted but oil prices will also go up. Israel launched a military action under Operation Rising Lion against Iran on June 13, targeting nuclear facilities. Iran has since then responded by firing missiles at Israel. "There is a fear of regional conflagration. But I don't see that happening because not too many countries have come out in support of Israel yet," he added. Sinha also conjectured that it is possible for Iran to block the narrow Strait of Hormuz after the US strikes. If that happens, "India will be affected, and overall the price of oil will go up", he said. The conflict certainly presents a challenge to India which has had closer relations with Iran, the former diplomat said, adding that India wants to have good relations with Iran, for historical, civilisational and geostrategic reasons as well. Amid fears of radiation leak, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) posted on X on Sunday, "Following attacks on three nuclear sites in Iran - including Fordow - the IAEA can confirm that no increase in off-site radiation levels has been reported as of this time. IAEA will provide further assessments on the situation in Iran as more information becomes available." Lt Gen Kanwaljeet Singh Dhillon (retd) in an interaction with PTI Videos in Mohali said the attack on the three sites has been done with "specialised weapons that can hit deep within the ground to destroy nuclear facilities". Asked how long the two sides can sustain the conflict, he said if they fire missiles at each other and fight a conventional war, they can sustain longer. "But with the advent of precision weapons, Israel can hit inside a building. Attrition on Iran's side is higher than on the Israeli side and their military capabilities have been degraded," the retired army officer said. On the possibility of the Strait of Hormuz being blocked, he claimed that if it continues for a few days, it would "not have an immediate impact on the demand-supply chain" but would affect the stock markets. Experts also referred to a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) underway in Turkiye, in the backdrop of the conflict. "Islamic countries are a house divided," Dogra argued. Asked if New Delhi can play some role in contributing to de-escalation in the region, he said, "India is friendly both with Israel and Iran, and its voice counts. It can definitely play a role in cooling down the tension and not let the crisis escalate further." Israel on June 13 targeted Iran's nuclear and missile production and storage facilities to get rid of both. It has for years been calling Iran's nuclear programme an existential threat and has vowed to foil its nuclear ambition at any cost. Iran has maintained that its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes.
Mint
4 hours ago
- Mint
DGCA revises guidelines for flight operations in adverse weather conditions
New Delhi, Jun 22 (PTI) Aviation watchdog DGCA has revised its operational guidelines for operators during adverse weather conditions, emphasising that safety should take precedence over "schedule adherence" and encouraged pilots to divert flights in unpredictable conditions. Issuing an updated operations circular to scheduled and non-scheduled operators, the regulator also said pilots should cross-check visual cues with instruments to ensure accurate approach and landing assessments to deal with visual illusions that may occur during night operations in rain or on wet runways. The circular also comes against the backdrop of recent helicopter accidents in Kedarnath region and an IndiGo flight enroute to Srinagar encountering severe turbulence last month. Citing the growing impact of climate change on operational unpredictability, DGCA has advised flight crew to maintain heightened vigilance, "with an emphasis on safety taking precedence over schedule adherence". "Captains are encouraged to initiate diversions or air-turn-backs, as required by prevailing conditions," the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said in a statement on Sunday. The circular outlines conditions under which flight crew are expected to consider diversion, return, or rerouting due to adverse weather, including severe turbulence, windshear, icing, obstructive thunderstorms, or sudden visibility deterioration. Further, operators and pilots have been advised to adopt a conservative approach to decision-making as well as have weather avoidance planning in place. "Pilots are encouraged to plan deviations early and maintain a minimum 20 NM (Nautical Miles) upwind distance from convective activity. "Flying beneath thunderstorm clouds is discouraged due to the elevated risk of windshear, lightning, and hail," the statement said. The regulator stressed the importance of pilot weather reports as well as on communicating with passengers, cabin crew and Air Traffic Control (ATC) during adverse weather conditions and turbulence. "This includes timely briefings, advance passenger announcements, and turbulence reporting to ATC to support better coordination and situational awareness," the statement noted. For the first time, DGCA said it has sought to address the issue of Ice Crystal Icing, a phenomenon associated with convective weather systems. "Pilots are advised to navigate around such areas laterally rather than climbing or descending through them in line with global best practices," the statement said. Among other aspects, operators have been encouraged to incorporate scenario-based training focused on adverse weather decision-making and the application of Threat and Error Management (TEM) principles. "The revised circular remains applicable to all scheduled and non-scheduled operators, as well as all flight crew operating during the pre-monsoon, monsoon, adverse weather and periods of turbulence," DGCA said.
Hindustan Times
5 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Iran hints at Strait of Hormuz closure. How will it impact Indian crude imports?
Amid its ongoing conflict with Israel and the US, Iran has hinted it may close the Strait of Hormuz, which lies between Iran and its Gulf Arab neighbours. The passage facilitates the daily supply of about a fifth of the world's oil, Bloomberg reported. (File photo) Oil tankers pass through the Strait of Hormuz,(REUTERS) Not just global, the closure of this strait may impact India's energy security as well, some experts have said. Tehran indicated the strait's closure for shipping after the US military struck three of Iran's key nuclear facilities. When asked about the closure, Iranian foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said, "A variety of options are available to Iran." Will closure hurt India? About 40 per cent of India's supplies are sourced from Middle East nations such as Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait. These countries export crude oil to India through the Strait of Hormuz. About 2 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil, a significant portion of India's total imports, is sent through the passage. While there is a significant portion that India sources from the Middle Eastern countries, there is still less likelihood of a big impact on its oil supply if the strait is shut, news agency PTI reported. This is because India mostly imports Russian oil which uses the Suez Canal, Cape of Good Hope, or the Pacific Ocean for its passage, and not the Strait of Hormuz. Qatar, India's principal gas supplier, also does not use the Strait of Hormuz for supplies. Similarly, India's other sources for LNG supply in Australia, Russia and the US would also not be impacted by the strait's closure. Impact on imports from Saudi, Iraq India's crude oil imports from Iraq, and to an extent from Saudi Arabia, will be impacted if the Strait of Hormuz is closed, said Dr Laxman Kumar Behera, Associate Professor at Special Centre for National Security Studies at JNU. Besides, if the Strait of Hormuz is closed even briefly, it will impact oil markets significantly, a recent analysis by the International Energy Agency showed. "With geopolitical and economic uncertainties affecting oil producers and consumers alike, oil supply security remains high on the international energy policy agenda," it said. Nearly 30 per cent of global oil and one-third of the world's LNG (liquefied natural gas) use the Strait of Hormuz for their passage. Its closure could have significant global repercussions, including costlier rerouting of oil shipments and an impact on the currencies of the countries in the region. Will Iran shut Strait of Hormuz? Ever since the Israel-Iran conflict began on June 13, Iran has hinted at closing the Strait of Hormuz. Apart from the Iranian Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Hosseini, the deputy chief of mission at the Iranian embassy, had also said closing the Strait of Hormuz is an option. Despite this, a prolonged Strait of Hormuz disruption is very unlikely. The Strait of Hormuz not only deals with exports of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait and Qatar, but also of Iran itself. China is the number one importer of Iranian oil at 47 per cent of its seaborne crude, reportedly accounting for over three-quarters of its oil exports. Hence, while the Strait of Hormuz closure stands to impact global oil markets, it also would prove counterproductive for Iran. Iran, which is already in a geopolitical conflict with Israel and the US, is likely to risk international military escalation with this key passage closure.
