Good morning, Bengaluru!
🪔 Happy Makar Sankranti! We are taking a day off today, hence we will not be publishing this newsletter tomorrow. See you on Wednesday!
🌫️ Today’s weather: High: 29 ℃ | Low: 17 ℃ | A foggy morning.
🧐 Did you know? Chokkanathaswamy temple at Domlur, dedicated to Lord Vishnu and one of the oldest temples in Bengaluru, has numerous Kannada and Tamil inscriptions dating back to 1200 CE.
🚦 Traffic police launches ASTraM app
Bengaluru Traffic Police introduce AI-backed ASTraM app for advanced traffic management.
What’s it about? The Bengaluru traffic police department has launched ASTraM, an AI-based application, to enhance traffic management in the city. This tool, introduced during the Road Safety Awareness Week, aims to provide comprehensive insights into traffic scenarios, enabling data-driven decisions for effective traffic regulation.
- Real-time congestion alerts are sent every 15 minutes to traffic officials, integrated with the e-attendance system.
- The app’s dashboard analytics offer actionable intelligence on traffic conditions, aiding in congestion prediction and management.
More features: The app features incident reporting using a BOT, special event management for spatial traffic understanding, and an ambulance tracking application ensuring efficient ambulance movement.
- Additionally, Bengaluru Traffic Police have deployed drone cameras for peak hour traffic monitoring, integrating the feed into the app for better traffic oversight and response.
🏨 Marriott’s Moxy brand in India
Marriott launches its first Moxy hotel in India at Bengaluru Airport.
What’s it about? Marriott International Inc. is expanding its presence in India with the introduction of Moxy, a ‘young’ hotel brand. The first Moxy hotel, owned by the Prestige Group, will feature 128 rooms at Bengaluru Airport. Three more Moxy properties are planned in Mumbai, Chennai, and a second in Bengaluru.
- Marriott’s Moxy brand targets a young demographic, with an unconventional check-in process and communal spaces.
- The company operates 148 hotels in India and plans to add 15 more by the end of 2024.
Growing market: Marriott’s expansion in India reflects the country’s growing hospitality market, with a focus on mid-market and economy lifestyle hotels. The company’s broader portfolio, including brands like JW Marriott and W Hotels, contributes to its robust presence in the Indian market.
🚇 Platform screen doors for Metro
Bengaluru Metro will equip new stations with platform screen doors for enhanced safety.
What’s it about? The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) is set to install platform screen doors (PSDs) at new stations on the Pink and Blue Lines of Namma Metro. Alstom Transport India won the bid for this project, which is part of a larger ₹857 crore initiative.
- The installation will cover stations along the 21 km Pink Line and 56 km Blue Line.
- The project also involves communications-based train control systems and personnel training.
Avoiding incidents: This safety measure comes in response to recent incidents including suicides and accidental falls onto the tracks, and will include full-height PSDs at underground stations and half-height platform screen gates at elevated or at-grade stations.
🛕 Gift to Ayodhya Temple
A Bengaluru company donates a specialised optical machine to Ayodhya’s Ram Temple.
What’s it about? The Ram Janmabhoomi Trust has acquired an optical machine, designed and built by a Bengaluru-based Jain family’s company, for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. This machine, a collaborative effort between the Indian Institute of Astrophysics and the Central Building Research Institute, is set to cast sunlight on the Ram Lalla idol during Ram Navami.
- The machine, valued at ₹84 lakh, operates like a periscope using mirrors to capture sunlight and project it onto the idol.
- It’s made from materials like titanium, brass, and bronze, with iron prohibited in the temple’s construction.
Tech meets tradition: The machine’s design symbolises a fusion of religious traditions and modern technology, enhancing the spiritual ambience of the temple.
📊 Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
Have you driven on the new Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway?
- I have driven on the new Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway.
- I haven’t driven on the new Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway.
❓ Today’s Question
(Only subscribers can submit their answers)
Which pastry shop in the city do you like the most?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- Residents of Bengaluru are concerned about potential water shortages in the summer due to the inadequate monsoon rains.
- Due to inclement weather, 44 flights from Bengaluru experienced delays.
- The state government’s plans to enhance infrastructure around Aerospace Park are set to spur further growth in North Bengaluru.
- Construction has started for South India’s largest Multimodal Logistics Park (MMLP) at Obalapura, located on the northern fringes of Bengaluru.
- Bengaluru now holds the record for the highest number of private vehicles in an Indian city.
That’s it for today. Have a great day!