Mumbai, Feb 12: Maharashtra’s Transport Minister, Pratap Sarnaik, has invited developers to participate in the development of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) land bank, spanning 3,360 acres.

Speaking at the NAREDCO NextGen Conclave 2025 in Mumbai on Wednesday, Sarnaik emphasised that the redevelopment of bus depots across districts, talukas, and rural areas would be undertaken on a fast-track basis.

He announced that the state government is set to float 150 to 160 tenders for the project soon.

To facilitate this transformation, renowned architect Hafeez Contractor has been appointed to prepare a development plan for MSRTC bus depots. Sarnaik highlighted the strategic importance of these land parcels and urged developers to explore commercial and residential opportunities beyond urban centers.

In a key policy move, the Minister revealed that MSRTC will be designated as a Planning Authority, streamlining project approvals under a single-window system. He added that the corporation’s technical team will be strengthened to efficiently manage the approvals and execution process.

Encouraging developers to venture beyond metro cities, Sarnaik pointed out the potential in semi-urban and rural areas, stressing that real estate growth in these regions would contribute significantly to the state’s overall development.

Sarnaik also noted that land parcels in Lonavala-Khandala and Mahabaleshwar — which are currently restricted under forest and no-development zones — would soon be included under the new Development Control and Promotion Regulations (DCPR). This change would allow for a higher Floor Space Index (FSI), unlocking new development opportunities.

Additionally, the government is working to extend land lease periods from 60 years to 99 years, making projects more financially viable for developers.

At the conclave, Sarnaik also launched the NAREDCO NextGen ‘Digital Learning Hub’, an online learning platform designed for young real estate professionals. The hub will offer insights into emerging trends, advanced technologies, and policy updates through collaborations with leading institutions, providing certification programs to nurture the next generation of real estate leaders.

Amid outrage and protests over a recent hike in metro fares in IT capital Bengaluru, the Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah has issued a clarification on the matter.

CM Issues Clarification

In a post on his official X account, the state CM said, “Clarifying the facts on Bengaluru Metro fare hike.”

He went to attribute the rise in fares to the central government in Delhi, and said, “The fare revision was decided by a Union Government-appointed committee, and BMRCL is legally bound to implement it. The Karnataka Government had no role in this decision.”

The CM also added, “BJP must stop misleading the people and take responsibility for its actions.”

The CM’s clarfictaions highlighted the following points

Since 2017, metro fares were not revised, and BMRCL itself wrote to the Union Government requesting a revision.

If the Karnataka Government had the power to decide fares, why did BMRCL write to the Centre instead of the State Government?

Responding to BMRCL’s letter, the Union Government constituted a Fare Fixation Committee (FFC) under Justice R. Tharani (Retd.), former Madras High Court judge. This committee included representatives from both the Union and State Governments.

The Union Government directed the committee, which began functioning on September 16, 2024, with a three-month deadline.

The committee consulted BMRCL officials, visited Delhi and Chennai Metro authorities, studied operations, and analysed fare structures.

The post also said, “Except for the Delhi Metro, the initial phase fares in all other states were determined by the respective state metro corporations. However, fare revisions are now decided by a committee appointed by the Union Government. As per Section 37 of the Metro Railways (Operations and Maintenance) Act, metro corporations (in this case, BMRCL) are legally bound to implement the fare recommendations made by this committee.”

What Are These New Fare Hikes?

The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), the body that runs the 2-line metro system (Green Line and Purple Line), has revised the fees, which will result in a 40-50 per cent hike in fare.

Post the revision, the maximum fare has shot up from the previous Rs 60 to the new Rs 90. Here, it is to be noted, that the minimum fare will continue to remain at Rs 10.

In addition, the minimum balance required on smart cards has also been increased from Rs 50 to Rs 90.

What’s Reaction So Far?

This move has irked Bengalurians, many of whom have attributed its hike as side effect of the freebies of the governmental schemes of the incumbent Congress government of Karnataka. This has only made public transport in the IT hub more exorbitant, as the recent comes at the back of 15 per cent hike in bus fares in the city.

Opposition leaders have reacted staunchly to this new development. The city MP (Bangalore South constituency) Tejasvi Surya took the matter up in the ongoing budget session of the parliament.

Surya shared a post on X, in which he said, “At the Zero Hour in Parliament today, I spoke on how the hike in Metro Prices is affecting the middle class in Bengaluru.

Highlighted how this fare hike has led to a 100% increase in the short-distance commute across several metro stations in Bengaluru, making Bengaluru Metro the most expensive metro network & defeating the purpose of creating a sustainable public transport solution for the city.

Urged the concerned authorities to review the anomalies in the fare structure and rationalize the ticket prices to make it more affordable for the common man.”

Although the CM has issues a supposed clarification, no decision on any rollback of the revised fares have been made.

Bengaluru, Feb 12: The Adani Defence and Aerospace stall, showcasing futuristic technology, has been one of the main attractions at Asia’s largest five-day air show and the 15th edition of the country’s premier aerospace exhibition ‘Aero India 2025’ in Bengaluru.

Focusing on cutting-edge technology, the spacious stall features state-of-the-art weaponry. The highlight of the display is the ‘Vehicle-Mounted Counter-Drone System’, developed in collaboration with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

The stall presents futuristic weaponry across four layers of defence, covering protection, detection, neutralization, and the use of artificial intelligence in safeguarding national borders.

Speaking to media, Ashish Raghuvanshi, CEO of Adani Defence and Aerospace, stated, “All the capabilities we are working on are on display at the show. From drones to small arms, ammunition, missiles, surface-guided missiles, and most importantly, artificial intelligence and advanced machinery, Adani has been working closely with the defence sector.”

Ashok Wadhwan, Head of Land Systems, said, “We aim to become strategic partners of the defence forces. Our focus is on futuristic technology, developing products that go beyond their expectations. If they can imagine a capability, we want to turn it into reality and build those advanced systems in India.”

Providing details about the display, Wadhwan elaborated, “We have structured our technology into four layers. The first layer focuses on protection, which includes unmanned vehicles and unmanned underwater systems designed for initial surveillance and threat detection.”

He continued, “The second layer is detection, which includes aircraft converted into aerial surveillance platforms — our ‘eyes in the sky’. We are focusing on detection across land, air, and underwater domains. The third layer is neutralization, which includes loitering objects, missiles, and other ammunition. The final layer comprises advanced weaponry, including firearms.”

“In addition, we are showcasing artificial intelligence-powered solutions designed to protect forces. Our capabilities are built to detect, neutralize, and safeguard borders,” he said.

“Our primary focus is on the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force, though exports are also part of our strategy. However, our priority remains our national defence forces,” Wadhwan underlined.

“We are collaborating with Defence Public Sector Units (DPSUs) rather than competing with them. Our aim is to partner with them to enhance national defence capabilities,” he added.

Discussing the partnership with DRDO, he explained, “We work closely with DRDO as a Development cum Production Partner (DcPP) for missiles and counter-drone systems. We have localized these technologies and successfully delivered them to the armed forces.”

Highlighting the significance of the Vehicle-Mounted Counter-Drone System, Ashish Raghuvanshi, CEO of Adani Defence and Aerospace stated, “Electronic warfare is a crucial aspect of future air defence. Drones pose significant threats to both civil and military establishments. The system displayed here can detect drones of all sizes and offers users multiple options for neutralization.”

“Operators can choose between a soft-kill jammer or a hard-kill laser. This innovation is a major advancement for the country, developed under a public-private partnership. We will continue to innovate and improve these solutions,” he added.

Emphasizing the importance of detection in electronic warfare, Raghuvanshi noted, “Detection is a critical component of electronic warfare. Our modular and effective solution can distinguish between a friend and a foe, enhancing operational security.”

On the benefits of partnering with DRDO, he said, “For example, DRDO’s Centre of Excellence for missiles is among the best in the world. Strengthening public-private partnerships will help elevate these technologies to the next level, ensuring India remains at the forefront of defence innovation.”