Latest news with #RAMS
The Print
2 days ago
- The Print
There's no demand for safety in India's adventure industry. Tourists should ask questions
Though safety guidelines, licensing norms, and SOPs exist and many operators follow them, the sheer scale of the industry, combined with cutthroat competition, often overwhelms even the best-intentioned systems. The recent accident in Manali, where a 12-year-old girl from Nagpur fell into a gorge after her zip line's harness rope broke, is just the latest in a string of mishaps. A similar incident in Bhor, Pune, had raised alarms only weeks earlier. But the warnings go unheeded. And here we are again. Every time tragedy strikes in Indian adventure tourism, the pattern is predictable: Public outrage, media frenzy, finger-pointing and then silence, until the next time. Even after multiple fatal accidents this year, most participants, especially parents of young thrill-seekers, fail to ask critical questions about operator registrations, licenses and certifications. In the battle between adrenaline and awareness, adrenaline still wins. Also read: Adventure tourism is not accessible for women—sexual harassment, safety risks Illusion of safety Adventure will never be risk-free; it's about managing risk. Yet a culture of impulsive thrill-seeking is on the rise. Participants often arrive at a destination and jump into zip-lining, rafting, or trekking with little idea of what's at stake. The mindset is simple: If it's available and everyone's doing it, it must be safe. A helmet goes on, a rope is clipped, and no one asks about safety checks, certifications, or instructor training. Blind trust replaces basic caution. Social media only adds to the illusion. Adventure is sold as picture-perfect reels, showing the fun but not the fitness, training, or safety protocols behind it. For young minds still learning to weigh risk, it creates a dangerously false sense of effort-free thrill. The silent crisis This is the hard truth: Safety is the last thing on people's minds. For those who conduct activities, safety should be the priority and not an afterthought, irrespective of whether there is one participant or there are 50 participants. But safety isn't just the responsibility of operators. Most people don't ask important questions such as Does the operator have the license to operate? When was the equipment last checked? Do I or my child have the skill, strength, or sense to take this on? And that is where the crisis lies. For adventure tourism to operate safely, RAMS (Risk Assessment and Management Systems) need to be in place. Think of it as a safety blueprint, anticipating what could go wrong and planning how to prevent or handle it. Following RAMS makes adventure safe, not sorry. In adventure sports, where speed, height, water, terrain, and weather intersect, RAMS isn't just paperwork. It's essential to safety. Good RAMS includes: Hazard identification (e.g., rockfall, fatigue, gear failure) Likelihood and impact analysis Preventive steps (route checks, equipment inspection, skill-based grouping) Emergency response plans Clear roles for staff and guides Adventure will always involve risk, but RAMS ensures it's a calculated challenge, not a careless gamble. RAMS is standard in countries like New Zealand, the UK, and Canada, where the sector is tightly regulated. In India, it's still not an industry norm, a serious gap in our safety culture. Without RAMS: Altitude sickness may go unnoticed Equipment may be unchecked Participants may not know emergency procedures Weather alerts may be ignored This isn't just carelessness, it's a recipe for disaster. To professionalise India's adventure tourism, we must build a culture of safety through training, licensing, regulation, and public awareness. If demand for safety grows, responsible supply will follow. Also read: Everyone should learn wilderness first aid. It's more than just dressing wounds What needs to be done now Back in 2018, the Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI) submitted a comprehensive set of Adventure Tourism Guidelines to the Ministry of Tourism. These weren't mere suggestions; they were detailed safety protocols, risk assessment models (including RAMS), and SOPs for land, air, and water-based activities. The guidelines emphasised operator training, participant briefing, and environmental responsibility. Yet in most states, these guidelines lie dormant. There is an urgent need for stakeholders to work alongside the government towards ensuring the enforcement of these guidelines. This means building a National Adventure and Outdoor Activity Policy Framework that brings together the Ministries of Tourism, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Environment & Forests, and industry stakeholders. This national scaffold can guide state governments to adapt and implement safety and inclusion standards based on local needs. The goal isn't central control but a shared vision: safety, skill, and sustainability embedded in every adventure offering, from Himachal to Goa to the Southern states. Why convergence matters India's adventure potential is vast, but the sector is fragmented. The sector relies too much on informal skills. A standardised training ecosystem—via NSQF (National Skills Qualification Framework) aligned programmes and Recognition for Prior Learning (RPL) can formalise adventure careers, especially for local and marginalised communities. From trekking and rafting to aero-sports and jungle safaris, each activity falls under different jurisdictions. A unified framework can ensure terrain-specific regulation while upholding national safety and inclusion norms. All activities must follow core operational standards: RAMS (Risk Assessment & Management Systems) Guide-to-participant ratios Seasonal access & ecological protocols Equipment and infrastructure standards Waste management & Leave No Trace policy Inclusive design (e.g., gender-sensitive, accessible spaces) The Ministry of Tourism can anchor this by linking licensing to compliance and safety audits. Participant education is of the utmost importance. It can be done by launching awareness campaigns that encourage asking questions and integrating safety modules in schools and NCC/NSS programmes. Another key aspect is to reframe safety checks as smart, not sceptical. Done right, adventure builds confidence and connection. Done wrong, it invites trauma and loss. India's adventure sector is growing fast. But to earn global respect, we must lead not just in thrill, but in standards, responsibility, and safety. Anusha Subramanian is an independent journalist, mountaineer, and entrepreneur who has been writing specifically about adventure and mountaineering for over a decade. She posts under @sanushas. Views are personal. (Edited by Theres Sudeep)
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
CAQM signs MoU with CRRI, SPA to redevelop roads in 9 NCR cities to cut dust pollution
New Delhi: In a major push to curb road dust pollution in the National Capital Region (NCR), the Commission for Air Quality Management ( CAQM ) has signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI) and the School of Planning and Architecture ( SPA ), New Delhi, to implement a Standard Framework for urban road redevelopment across Delhi-NCR. The initiative, which covers nine highly urbanised and industrialised NCR cities —Delhi, Faridabad, Gurugram, Sonipat, Ghaziabad, Noida, Greater Noida, Bhiwadi and Neemrana—aims to reduce dust emissions through systematic redevelopment of roads including paving, greening and modern maintenance systems. The MoU provides for the creation of a Project Monitoring Cell (PMC) at CAQM, facilitated by CRRI and SPA. The PMC will oversee and support phased implementation of the road redevelopment framework in NCR states. The framework focuses on four key components: cross-section design for different road types and Right of Way (ROW) widths; road dust mitigation through greening within the ROW; development of a web-GIS-based Road Asset Management System (RAMS); and the adoption of new technologies in construction and maintenance. 'The PMC shall oversee and support the phased implementation of the framework in NCR States for effective development/redevelopment of roads aligned with broad elements of the framework,' CAQM said in a statement. CRRI will provide technical support in road engineering, standardisation, construction and asset management, while SPA will advise on sustainable urban planning and greening strategies. Both institutions will guide the establishment and operation of the PMC and suggest manpower requirements. A dedicated digital dashboard will also be developed to enable real-time, data-driven monitoring and tracking of specific projects under the framework. The collaboration seeks to align urban road redevelopment with scientific design, sustainable greening and modern technology, aiming for long-term dust pollution control in the region.
Mint
10-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
Air quality panel signs MoU to reduce dust pollution in Delhi, nearby areas
In a step towards reducing the dust pollution from roads in the National Capital Region (NCR), the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI) and the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), New Delhi, according to a statement. Poor road maintenance and road dust, composed of dust from unpaved roads, generate large amounts of suspended particulate matter. It is an acute problem and poses health risks if inhaled. Transforming urban roads through scientific design, sustainable greening, and modern technologies is one of the key long-term solutions for lessening dust pollution from roads and improving air quality in the region. Under the MoU, CSIR-CRRI and SPA will provide institutional support and technical guidance to the Project Monitoring Cell (PMC) being set up at CAQM. CRRI and SPA will help CAQM through guidance in setting up the PMC, suggesting suitable manpower requirements for the same, and guiding the hired resources in monitoring the development and redevelopment of roads on the Standard Framework. A dedicated dashboard will also be created to ensure data-driven tracking and monitoring of specific road projects. Taking a step in this direction to reduce the dust pollution, in the first phase, the Commission in due consultations with NCR state governments and GNCTD (Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi), has taken up nine highly urbanized and industrialized cities of NCR—Delhi, Faridabad, Gurugram, Sonipat, Ghaziabad, Noida, Greater Noida, Bhiwadi and Neemrana. The tripartite MoU aims to facilitate the establishment and operationalisation of a project monitoring cell at CAQM by CSIR-CRRI and SPA. The PMC will oversee and support the phased implementation of the framework in NCR states to effectively develop roads aligned with its broad elements. The standard framework encompasses cross-section design for different types of roads and widths of right-of-way (ROW), mitigation of road dust within the right-of-way through greening measures, a web-GIS-based Road Asset Management System (RAMS) for an effective road maintenance regime, and the adoption of new technologies in road construction and maintenance.
India Gazette
10-06-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
CAQM signs MoU to reduce dust pollution via urban road redevelopment
New Delhi [India], June 10 (ANI): In a major step towards combating road dust pollution in the National Capital Region (NCR), the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM), on Tuesday, signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI) and the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) in New Delhi. According to an official release, the collaboration aims at the effective implementation of the Standard Framework for redevelopment of urban roads including paving and greening of pathways and sidewalks, towards abatement of dust pollution across Delhi-NCR. The tripartite MoU aims for facilitation by CSIR-CRRI and SPA, New Delhi for setting up a Project Monitoring Cell (PMC) at CAQM and operationalization of the same. The PMC shall oversee and support the phased implementation of the framework in NCR States for effective development/ redevelopment of roads aligned with broad elements of the framework. In the first phase, the Commission in due consultations with NCR State Governments & GNCTD, has taken up nine highly urbanized / industrialized cities of NCR, namely, Delhi, Faridabad, Gurugram, Sonipat, Ghaziabad, Noida, Greater Noida, Bhiwadi and Neemrana, the release stated. The collaboration leverages the domain expertise of CSIR-CRRI in road standardization/ engineering, construction and asset management and that of SPA in sustainable urban planning and greening solutions along these roads. The Standard Framework encompasses--Cross Section design for different types of Roads and width of Right of Way (ROW), Mitigation of Road Dust within the Right-of-way through Greening Measures, Web-GIS-based Road Asset Management System (RAMS) for effective road maintenance regime, and Adoption of new technologies in road construction and maintenance. As per the release, under the MoU, CSIR-CRRI and SPA would provide institutional support and technical guidance to the PMC being setup at CAQM. CRRI and SPA will support CAQM inter-alia in providing guidance in setting up the PMC, suggesting suitable manpower requirement for the same and guiding the hired resources in monitoring the development/ redevelopment of roads on the Standard Framework. A dedicated dashboard will also be created to ensure data-driven tracking and monitoring of specific road projects. Transforming urban roads through scientific design, sustainable greening, and modern technologies is one of the key long term solutions for abating dust pollution from the roads and improvement of air quality in the region. (ANI)
Time of India
05-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Westpac's RAMS falsified payslips for loan approvals: ASIC
BENGALURU | SYDNEY: Australia 's corporate regulator said the mortgage broking unit of No.2 lender Westpac had used falsified payslips from non-existent employers to approve home loans in a lawsuit filed on Wednesday. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) said RAMS Financial Group, a Westpac subsidiary until the bank shuttered the business last year, engaged in widespread unlicensed conduct from June 2019 to April 2023. The regulator made the allegations in a statement of facts agreed by Westpac, filed in a federal civil lawsuit, and published on Wednesday. The agreed statement said that in some cases it was unclear where the false documents originated but in others "RAMS franchisees or their employees ... knowingly submitted loan applications supported by false documentation or information or were complicit in doing so". The actions created "the opportunity for loans to be provided to customers who otherwise may not have qualified for those loans, and thereby increasing commissions earned by RAMS franchisees", ASIC Deputy Chair Sarah Court said in a statement. RAMS has admitted to dealing with unlicensed mortgage operators, failing to properly supervise its representatives, and other shortcomings, ASIC added. Westpac said in a statement that RAMS had agreed to finalise the matter in court and "will continue to work cooperatively with ASIC to resolve the proceedings as quickly as possible". A 2019 Royal Commission aired widespread allegations of financial firms failing to take adequate due diligence before approving loans, resulting in tougher regulation. ASIC said it was seeking unspecified financial penalties from RAMS. Westpac said it expects its existing provisions to be enough to cover the cost of the lawsuit. Westpac shut down RAMS to new home loans in 2024, while continuing to retain the ongoing loans. The closure prompted RAMS franchisees to file a class action lawsuit against Westpac, claiming it improperly terminated viable businesses and was ultimately responsible for the loan processing errors. A franchisee spokesperson said the franchisees weren't consulted during the ASIC investigation and "the regulator's findings about RAMS' 'systemic organisational governance failure' and inadequate supervision reflect Westpac attempting to shift institutional failures onto franchisees". The date of the first hearing in ASIC vs Westpac is yet to be scheduled.
