Boeing’s biggest facility outside US inaugurated
The American aircraft manufacturer Boeing’s global engineering and technology centre campus at Devanahalli was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister S Siddaramaiah. It has been built at a cost of Rs. 1,600 crore, at a 43-acre campus. Outside the US, it is Boeing’s largest investment.
Sources said that the campus will be crucial for partnerships, vibrant start-ups, private and government ecosystems. It will develop next generation products and services for the global aerospace and defence industry.
Boeing’s largest facility, outside the US, will be officially named the Boeing India Engineering and Technology Center (BIETC). There will be more than 3,000 engineers working with artificial intelligence, Industrial Internet of Things, machine learning, clouds, additive manufacturing, model-based engineering, and so on. It will open up job opportunities and hire across domains, such as billing analysts, software engineers, product review engineers, structural analysis engineers and programme analysts.
Source: The Hindu, Deccan Herald
Almost 56 flights delayed
There were angry and chaotic scenes at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) on January 14th, as bad weather delayed almost 56 flights to various destinations. Eight flights got cancelled, angering a number of passengers. Many of them got stranded without accommodation or refreshments. A number of outbound flights got delayed at KIA, while the schedules of many inbound flights too got impacted.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) reported that whenever a flight is delayed for less than 24 hours, it needs to give hotel accommodation to flyers. But if the flight operator has caused the delay or cancellation and if the passenger is not willing to travel on an alternative or subsequent plane, the fare needs to be refunded. However, the flyer cannot get any other financial compensation if the cancellation has happened due to “extraordinary circumstances beyond the control of the airline”.
Source: The Times of India, Deccan Herald
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BBMP to white-top MG Road
Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP) chief Tushar Giri Nath said that the BBMP will continue whitetopping on a 2 kilometre stretch of MG Road despite criticism and even though it will cost Rs 44 crore – dearer than asphalting. It will be a process in which normal black-top roads or the bitumen asphalted roads are cleared and a layer of concrete is laid, which will be long-lasting and prevent formation of potholes. The stretch will be from Trinity Circle and Mahatma Gandhi Circle.
Many are concerned about whitetopping MG Road, which is already in a good condition, as it may lead to traffic jams. Kamaraj Road is already shut down due to the Metro work. The government had approved whitetopping works worth Rs 800 crore for 64 kms of stretches. Although the BBMP had relaid many roads before the May 2023 Assembly elections, a number of them, especially those on the outskirts of the city, need repairs.
Source: Indian Express, Deccan Herald
Basavanna theme at R-Day flower show
The Republic Day flower show this year will try to highlight Basavanna’s fight for social change and equality, themed around Vishwa Guru Basavanna and Vachana Sahitya. Created by the Horticulture Department, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah inaugurated it at the Lalbagh Botanical Garden’s Glass House and pointed out that Basavanna aspired to create a society devoid of caste, creed, divisions and superstitions. A cabinet meeting earlier had declared Basavanna as Karnataka’s cultural leader.
The main attraction is the floral replica of Anubhava Mantapa, Ikya Mantapa, Ishta Linga Prathiroopa and Basavanna’s interactions with the public. Other Vachana writers like Allama Prabhu, Ambigara Chowdayya and Akka Mahadevi are also featured.
Source: Deccan Herald, The Hindu
Read more: Both Gandhi and Ambedkar would have supported Karnataka’s own flag; here’s why
Silver medals on golden jubilee of renaming state
The government will award silver medals to all the police personnel to commemorate the golden jubilee of the state’s renaming as Karnataka. There will also be eight additional deputy commissioners of police in the city.
CM Siddaramaiah also announced increasing the medical allowance for police from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 per month. Instructions have also been given to make the state drug free. Hence, the police seized Rs. 27 crore worth drugs this year.
Source: Indian Express
(Compiled by Revathi Siva Kumar)