Latest news with #AndrewNg
Time of India
15 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Is Radial Road ready for real estate boom? The 200ft-wide Pallavaram–Thoraipakkam stretch is emerging as a key real estate corridor, but infrastructure lags behind
CHENNAI: The Pallavaram–Thoraipakkam Radial Road, once just a connector between GST Road and OMR, is now turning into a real estate magnet — but the infrastructure is struggling to keep up. As towering residential blocks and sprawling IT parks rise along the 200ft-wide stretch, traffic snarls, poor drainage, and civic delays are threatening to trip up its transformation. Around 2,500 residential units are already under construction along the corridor, with major projects by top developers nearing completion. That number is set to surge, with two massive township-style developments expected to add more than 4,000 apartments between 2025 and 2030. 'The Radial Road is no longer just a transit route. It's becoming a self-sustained urban zone with residential and commercial balance,' said Viswajith Kumar, treasurer, Credai Chennai. Sanjay Chugh, director at Anarock, said homebuyers investing in the location now stand to gain from both shortterm traction and long-term value appreciation. The commercial boom is equally aggressive. An 8.3 lakh sqft IT complex is coming up with an investment of 400 crore, while phase 2 of an international tech park is adding 13 lakh sqft of Grade A office space. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Co-Founder of Google Brain, Andrew Ng, Recommends: "These 5 Books Will Turn Your Life Around" Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo Several other developers are expected to add more than 4 million sqft of commercial space in the coming years. 'At least 12 to 13 million sqft of commercial space will be added in the coming years,' VS Sridhar, Executive Managing Director, Tamil Nadu & Kerala & Head GCC Advisory- Operations, Cushman & Wakefield, said. 'This is a major growth corridor after OMR, mainly because it is closer to the city with multiple entry and exit points.'But the stretch, he said, needs last-mile connectivity to reach full potential. 'We need metro connectivity or a Bus Rapid Transit System connecting Pallavaram to Thoraipakkam,' he said. Despite this growth, the civic skeleton hasn't evolved at the same pace. 'The Radial Road may be Chennai's next big growth corridor, but unless the groundwork is strengthened, it risks becoming a case study in how to build skywards without looking down,' said an urban planner. B Vijayalakshmi, founder-president of the Federation of Radial Road Residents Association, said, 'The roads have been dug up for the canal work connecting Narayanapuram Lake to the Pallikaranai marshland. It doesn't even look like a 200-feet road anymore. We have been demanding proper water supply and underground sewage connections for a longtime. This stretch falls under the jurisdiction of Greater Chennai Corporation, Kovilambakkam, and Tambaram corporation. And, hospitals, commercial establishments, and even sewage and water lorries regularly park their vehicles along the roadside.' Daily commuters complain of heavy traffic during peak hours, worsened by limited public transport options. Monsoon flooding is a recurring nightmare due to inadequate stormwater drains. Urban planners warn that uncoordinated growth could choke the very promise of attracting developers. 'With high-profile projects set to bring in thousands of new residents and workers, the demand on roads, water, waste, and transport systems will only intensify. Govt should improve road quality, drainage, and mobility infrastructure before the next wave of developments hit the ground,' said a senior planner.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Chhattisgarh govt to form Tiger Foundation Society to control depleting number of big cats
RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh cabinet on Wednesday decided to establish state Tiger Foundation Society, in a move for wildlife conservation and eco-tourism, which will focus on tiger conservation, over a concern towards deteriorating tiger population. Chhattisgarh presently has around 18-20 tigers. Chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai chaired the cabinet meeting at his official residence in Raipur and this decision was taken during the meeting. Officials said that a similar society has been operational in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh since 1996 and Chhattisgarh's Tiger Foundation Society will function under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and the state has four tiger reserves, since its foundation in year 2000. According to information, the Tiger Society will be self-financed, and will not put any additional burden on the govt exchequer. It will raise funds from individuals and institutions. This society will be directly involved in activities related to the conservation of tigers and other wildlife, the govt release said. IT added that the society will ensure availability of external funds, expertise and resources for conservation, which will provide new employment opportunities to local communities and maintain the environmental balance of the state, The statement said that the society will promote eco-tourism with the participation of the local community, which will not only increase tourism but also create employment and income opportunities for the local people. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Co-Founder of Google Brain, Andrew Ng, Recommends: "These 5 Books Will Turn Your Life Around" Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo Meanwhile, it will encourage environmental education, research and training, giving scope to conservationists. It will prove to be a milestone in the field of wildlife conservation in Chhattisgarh, which will protect biodiversity as well as give a strong base to promote eco-tourism, the release said. Cabinet also took other key decision and gave its nod to provide financial assistance to consumers for setting up solar rooftop plants in their houses under PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana to promote renewable energy. Besides the Centre's fund, the scheme will be provided with additional financial assistance from the Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company Limited (CSPDCL) for installing solar rooftop plants at the homes of domestic consumers, which will vary based on the capacity of the solar plant (1 kW, 2 kW, 3 kW and above), the statement said. A total of Rs 45,000 will be provided for a 1 kW plant (Rs 30,000 as central assistance and Rs 15,000 as state aid), while for a plant of 3 kW or more, the assistance will be Rs 1,08,000 (Rs 78,000 as central assistance and Rs 30,000 as state aid), it said. Similar assistance has been proposed for housing societies/residential welfare associations. This grant amount will be received by CSPDCL in advance and will be disbursed later to the beneficiaries. A target has been set to install 60,000 such solar power plants in 2025-26, and 70,000 solar power plants in 2026-27. This will entail a financial burden of Rs 180 crore in the financial year 2025-26 and Rs 210 crore in 2026-27, officials said. CSPDCL will be the implementing agency of this scheme as per the guidelines of the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), it added. Cabinet approved the extension of certain benefits to communities that were technically excluded from the Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Scheduled Castes (SC) lists due to technical reasons. The Dehari Korva , Baghel Kshatri , Sansari Oraon, and Pavia/Pabiya communities' students will be provided state scholarships and access to hostels/ashrams under the Scheduled Tribes category. This move aims to ensure equal opportunities for students from marginalized communities. Cabinet approved the merger of the Vivekananda Institute of Social Health Welfare & Services (VISHWAS) with Ramkrishna Mission Ashram Narayanpur. This merger aims to streamline the operations of the organization and expand its impact. A major step towards agricultural education was taken as the Cabinet agreed to provide 94.290 hectares of land in Belgav village, Saja tehsil, Bemetara district, for the establishment of a Horticulture University. This land will be provided free of cost to the Horticulture Department. In an effort to promote local products and empower women's self-help groups , the Cabinet approved transfer of the 'JashPure' brand (under which herbal and mahua tea are being produced) to the state government or Chhattisgarh State Industrial Development Corporation (CSIDC) . This will help expand the market for these products, boost local raw material demand, and provide employment opportunities for tribal women. The transfer will not place any additional financial burden on the state.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Maintenance coordination gaps: Air India cancels 3 international flights; DGCA flags technical issues & crew limits
Air India on Wednesday cancelled three international flights due to maintenance, technical problems, and safety concerns linked to a volcanic eruption near Bali. Two of the cancellations occurred after passengers had already boarded, the airline confirmed. According to a PTI report, flight AI188 from Toronto to Delhi was called off because of extended maintenance, which caused the crew to breach flight duty time limitations. Passengers who had already boarded were deplaned. Similarly, flight AI996 from Dubai to Delhi was cancelled due to technical reasons, with passengers also being asked to disembark after boarding. The airline's Delhi-Bali flight AI2145 was forced to turn back mid-air after reports of volcanic activity near Bali airport. The aircraft landed safely in Delhi, and all passengers were deboarded. Air India said ground teams are working to rebook passengers at the earliest and full refunds or complimentary rescheduling have been offered. The airline added it anticipates further disruptions amid intensified checks on its Boeing 787 fleet, ongoing airspace restrictions, and poor weather. This comes in the wake of the June 13 crash of a B787-8 in Ahmedabad, which killed 241 people, prompting India's aviation regulator to ramp up oversight. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Co-Founder of Google Brain, Andrew Ng, Recommends: "These 5 Books Will Turn Your Life Around" Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo Between June 12 and 17, Air India cancelled 66 scheduled Boeing 787-operated flights citing technical issues. Following a review, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) advised Air India to boost internal coordination across engineering, operations, and ground services, and ensure spare parts are available to avoid delays. However, DGCA noted that recent surveillance of Air India's Boeing 787 fleet "did not reveal any major safety concerns" and found aircraft and maintenance systems "in compliance with existing safety standards."
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Congress says open to "respectful and suitable" alliance in UP but also focused on rebuilding its strength on ground
Congress is in the middle of a month-long organisation-building campaign across all 75 districts in Uttar Pradesh (UP) to strengthen its grassroots presence and the party is hopeful of striking a "respectful and suitable" alliance to take on the BJP in the 2027 assembly polls . In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections , the Congress-Samajwadi Party alliance delivered a strong performance-the Congress winning six of the 17 seats it contested and the SP bagging 37 seats-reducing the BJP's tally from 62 to 33 in UP, the most populous state in the country. Perhaps that is why Congress general secretary and Uttar Pradesh in-charge Avinash Pande told PTI that while the party is focused on rebuilding its grassroots presence across the state, it would, in all likelihood, look to enter into a "respectable and suitable alliance" under the INDIA bloc to take on the BJP in the next round of elections." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Co-Founder of Google Brain, Andrew Ng, Recommends: "These 5 Books Will Turn Your Life Around" Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List For the moment however, Pande said, the party in the middle of "Sangathan Srijan" (organisation building) campaign across all 75 districts in UP is also gearing up for the panchayat polls, which would be held in 2026, a year ahead of the 2027 polls. Pande who is on a seven-day tour of the state, meeting district-level leaders and workers to assess progress and energise the cadre said a 100-day programme has been launched to drive the effort, with trained professionals overseeing implementation as the Congress is eyeing the panchayat polls to increase its rural penetration in UP. Live Events In the 2022 state polls, the two parties had contested separately. While SP improved its count from 47 to 111 seats, Congress was reduced to just two. "Talking about the alliance, the INDIA bloc is very much in existence but as you know, an alliance of the regional parties and us (Congress) as a national party came together to give a strong opposition to the BJP. So, we are strengthening our organisation and because of that we will come together as a strong alliance," Pande said. "We are trying to build our party stronger so that in case if we have a respectable and suitable alliance at the time of elections to defeat the BJP, then we should be in a good position to give a befitting result," he added. On the rise of regional parties like the SP and BSP and the BJP's current dominance, Pande said, "I must tell you that regional parties came much, much later than the Congress, which was giving good governance to the people in Uttar Pradesh right from the freedom and after the formation of the state." "At present, we are focused on organisation rebuilding of the party in Uttar Pradesh, not just for contesting the elections alone but also doing a lot of other works which are directly related to the cause of the people and the welfare of the state." Pande also hit out at the BJP government , accusing it of autocratic functioning and side-lining the democratic role of the opposition. "One thing that everybody can see is that the government is biased and trying to violate the Constitution by taking autocratic decisions. You can see all the decisions are being taken by suppressing the opposition, which is not being accorded due respect," he said. He added, "Obviously, it is the government which is responsible for carrying people's liking and welfare. They should take care of people's welfare-whether it is for infrastructure, education, employment or inflation. Congress is performing its responsibility as Opposition with full ability and best intentions." On the organisational front, the senior Congress leader said the party's "Sangathan Srijan" campaign aims to rebuild its structure at five levels-state, district, block, mandal, and booth-following a resolution passed at the AICC plenary session. "This is being undertaken in a phased manner under the leadership of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee and the guidance of the party's central leadership," he said. On Congress' relevance in UP today, Pande said, "I must tell you that Congress is the country's oldest party which played a role in the freedom struggle. It has always been very relevant and ideologically very close to the psyche of the common Indian," he added. "The Congress in UP is trying to restructure itself from the state level to the booth level," he added. "There is a visible sense of enthusiasm among the party workers, and I am confident Congress will perform well in the 2026 panchayat elections, the 2027 assembly elections, and the 2029 general elections. We aim to regain public trust and serve the people of Uttar Pradesh in line with their expectations," he said.
Forbes
4 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Building A $190 Million AI Venture Studio That Works
Investments in AI businesses are skyrocketing. In 2024, funding to AI companies reached over $100 billion, according to Crunchbase data, which showed an increase of 80% year over year from $55.6 billion in 2023. As the market adopts more AI products, venture capital firms are rethinking their early-stage investment strategies, and new venture studios are building frameworks that support not just the technology but also the people behind it. For Warren Packard, partner at AI Fund, the future lies in providing more than funding to early-stage startups building AI-first products. 'We don't wait for ideas to walk through the door,' said Packard in an interview. 'We build them internally and recruit the right entrepreneur at the right moment to lead the company forward.' Founded by AI pioneer Andrew Ng, AI Fund operates as a venture studio developing AI-focused businesses through a hands-on, repeatable model. Earlier this year, the firm closed its $190 million Fund II, which it will use to co-found more than 25 new startups. Packard emphasized the value of speed and depth in the studio approach: 'The studio model enables us to compress the company-building timeline and build stronger foundations from day one.' AI Fund's second fund is backed by a mix of corporate and institutional LPs, including HP Inc., TELUS Ventures, and Sequoia Capital. This reflects the growing interest from corporates in gaining early access to transformative AI technologies while mitigating early-stage risk. 'Our best ideas are often born from conversations with our LPs,' Packard noted. 'We're able to spin up companies that launch with built-in customer demand, proprietary datasets and immediate market relevance.' That structure provides value to limited partners and also mitigates risk, as shared services and playbook-based development create economies of scale not available to traditional angel or seed investors. Packard emphasized the speed and depth of the fund's infrastructure: 'From idea to MVP, we can move in weeks, not quarters. That's because we've already built the tools, the team, and the validation process.' Startups developed at AI Fund leverage foundation models and internal AI scaffolding from inception. This parallels what McKinsey & Company describes as a 'shift from AI experimentation to strategic value realization,' where organizations integrating AI into core product cycles see faster returns and more durable models. The venture studio model introduces a different equity structure than traditional VC. AI Fund takes an early ownership stake in exchange for operational support, talent infrastructure, and capital at formation. 'We are not just advisors. We're building alongside the founders,' Packard said. This co-founder dynamic results in alignment. Founders join with clear expectations, and LPs gain exposure to companies with already-in-place institutional processes. Packard was unequivocal about the fund's values: 'We are very much focused on companies that move humanity forward. We don't want to create ventures that make it easier for people to do harm.' That principle is embedded in how the fund evaluates ideas. Ethical constraints are built into our validation stage. 'We're not just looking at the technical feasibility, we're asking if this should exist,' he said. A recent Edelman Trust Barometer found that 60% of employees value ethical commitments in their workplaces and use those values as a deciding factor in employment or investment decisions. That mirrors a growing trend in venture and private equity toward values-aligned investing, particularly in sensitive sectors like AI. AI Fund offers a proven case study for venture capital, corporate venture capital and innovation firms exploring whether to build internal studios, partner with external ones, or form hybrid innovation arms. It provides an unfair advantage to help the studio startups thrive. 'The combination of AI expertise, operational infrastructure, and repeatable methodology allows us to launch multiple companies a year with real market fit and founder readiness,' Packard said. With over 30 exits to his name, he sees the studio not as a trend, but as a core innovation lever. 'AI is here for the long run. The best way to build responsibly and effectively is to start at the idea stage, not wait for disruption to come to you.'
