Articles by Shashwat Bhandari

Technology

Road Bottlenecks, Potholes: What DK Shivakumar, Kiran Mazumdar, Others Discussed to Fix Bengaluru Infrastructure

Bengaluru: Indian businesswoman Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Mohandas Pai and Head of the Greater Bengaluru Authority Maheshwar Rao along with other industry leaders discussed action plans to fix road and civic infrastructure issues faced by people in Bengaluru with Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. Taking to X, formerly Twitter, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw said, "We had a very constructive meeting with Deputy CM ⁦@DKShivakumar to agree to an action plan to fix key infra bottlenecks in roads, ORR, PRR drainage traffic and garbage. ⁦@TVMohandasPai @GBAChiefComm @TheTanveerAhmed @rk_misra" According to reports, discussions among top industry leaders and the Karnataka government focused on urban challenges, road and civic infrastructure, garbage management, issues related to the Outer Ring Road, potholes, among others. DK Shivakumar informed about the meeting, saying he met Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and other industry leaders, emphasising that the top focus is improving the city’s infrastructure. "I met Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, TV Mohandas Pai, and others with my officials to seek their suggestions for improving Bengaluru. They have grown up here and understand the city's potential. Unlike cities like Mumbai or Chennai, where criticism often remains local, anything concerning Bengaluru quickly becomes global news. We have requested them to join hands and work together with the government. I will also hold meetings with stakeholders regarding the Outer Ring Road. A detailed plan will be prepared, and we will engage with CEOs ahead of the upcoming Tech Summit," DK Shivakumar said in a statement. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, DK Shivakumar Diwali Meet Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw had met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar to greet them on the occasion of Deepavali and assured cooperation and support for Bengaluru's development. Shaw has been critical of Bengaluru's infrastructure woes, highlighting them through her social media posts and repeatedly urging the state government to intervene. What DK Shivakumar Said After Meeting Kiran Mazumdar on Diwali Shivakumar, who is also the Minister in charge of Bengaluru Development, later told reporters that Shaw has assured the cooperation and support of the industry for the city’s development. "Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw visited Cauvery (CM's official residence) and wished Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Deepavali. Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti was present on the occasion,” the CM's office said in a statement. Shaw also met Shivakumar at his Sadashivanagar residence in Bengaluru. Asked whether there was any discussion regarding Bengaluru with Shaw, Shivakumar said,"Of course, they (industry leaders) have agreed that they are going to cooperate with the development of Bengaluru and they will not hurt Bengaluru. They will support the system." He added that he has called a meeting of local bodies adjacent to the Greater Bengaluru Authority area. "I will be visiting those areas on Thursday and Friday. I will be calling a meeting. Those areas will be part of the development. There is a huge difference in tax between those areas and Bengaluru Corporation (GBA). We have to see to it that all those areas are also developed." Noting that IT/BT and other industries have said they will cooperate in Bengaluru’s development, the Deputy CM said he will call them for a meeting. "Now I'm visiting all the five corporations and meeting people there. After that, I will be calling IT/BT people separately... I will discuss it with them. I have sought their cooperation," he added. The state government has come under criticism over the poor state of roads and traffic issues in the city for some time now, with industry veterans like former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai and Shaw repeatedly urging the state government to intervene. Faced with mounting criticism from industry leaders, Shivakumar had recently urged them to stop “hurting” the city and the state that have contributed to their growth. With inputs from PTI Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Bengaluru and around the world.

Technology

India-China Direct Flights to Resume Tonight After 4-Year Gap - Check Schedule

Kolkata: Direct flights between India and China will finally resume today after being suspended for over four years. Resuming services, the first flight will take off from Kolkata to Guangzhou at 10 PM tonight. A direct flight between Shanghai and New Delhi will start on November 9 and operate three times a week, said Yu Jing Chen, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in India. Direct flights were operational between the two countries until early 2020, before being suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The services then remained suspended due to the eastern Ladakh border row. Following recent diplomatic initiatives, private carrier IndiGo announced it will resume services to China, connecting Kolkata to Guangzhou with daily, non-stop flights starting October 26. "The first flight is scheduled to leave Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport at 10 PM today," the official said. IndiGo Among First Indian Carriers to Resume Direct Flights to China, Reveals Future Schedule IndiGo, earlier this month, had announced that it would be among the first airlines to restart services between the two countries following the COVID-19 suspension. In its October 2 press release, the airline said it would start daily, nonstop flights between Kolkata and Guangzhou from October 26, 2025, using Airbus A320neo aircraft. IndiGo also mentioned plans to expand the service by introducing direct flights between Delhi and Guangzhou, subject to regulatory approvals. These routes, the airline said, will help rebuild trade and tourism ties between India and China. Later, on October 11, IndiGo officially confirmed that daily direct flights between Delhi and Guangzhou would start from November 10, strengthening connectivity between the two countries. The resumption of direct flights was also confirmed earlier this month by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Flights between India and China had been suspended since the COVID-19 pandemic and the Galwan Valley clash in June 2020, one of the deadliest border confrontations in decades. Since then, diplomatic and economic relations between New Delhi and Beijing have been tense. However, in October 2024, both sides reached an agreement on patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), seen as a key step in easing tensions. Although dialogue had slowly resumed, direct commercial flights had remained grounded until now. With this development, both governments are signalling a move toward renewed engagement and cooperation, particularly in trade, business, and tourism. Earlier, a spokesperson from the Chinese Embassy also reaffirmed Beijing's commitment to development and improving ties, calling the resumption of flights an important milestone in strengthening people-to-people and economic links between India and China. With inputs from Agencies For all the latest news and india news, visit Times Now to get live updates and breaking news around the world.