AI to charge ‘flat rate’ to bring back remains
New Delhi: In order to reduce the expenses of grieving families, Air India has decided to charge a “flat rate” to bring back mortal remains from six Gulf countries, which have a significant number of Indian immigrants. “After discussions with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Civil Aviation, we have decided that we will be charging a ‘flat rate’ to bring back dead bodies from six Gulf countries…This flat rate would be 40 per cent lower than what is usually charged,” a senior Air India official said on Monday. He added that this “flat rate services” for bringing a body back would currently be available for six Gulf countries. According to the current exchange rates, the “flat rate” would approximately be the following in Indian currency — Rs 29,000 for the United Arab Emirates, Rs 41,800 for Saudi Arabia, Rs 43,000 for Qatar, Rs 42,500 for Bahrain, Rs 29,500 Oman and Rs 40,900 for Kuwait. The Air India official added that these services might be extended to various other countries that had a significant Indian immigrant population. In 2017, India was the largest country of origin of international migrants at 1.7 crore, with about 50 lakh Indians residing in the Gulf region alone, according to the 2017 International Migration Report of the United Nations. (PTI)
BJP ‘invites’ Rahul to visit cable-stayed Goa bridge
Panaji: The BJP on Monday took a dig at the Congress and its chief Rahul Gandhi against the backdrop of the inauguration of a 5.1 kilometre long cable-stayed bridge, christened Atal Setu, on the Mandovi River. The BJP “requested” Gandhi to “visit” the bridge, named after late BJP patriarch and former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, to see how the ruling party was “transforming” India. Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi are in Goa since Saturday on a private visit. The cable-stayed bridge, the third on the Mandovi River, was opened to public on Sunday at a function attended by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar. Tweeting from its official handle Monday, the BJP said, “Dear Shri @RahulGandhi, We have come to learn that you are currently on a vacation in Goa. We request you along with all Congress MLAs to visit the Atal Setu, the 3rd longest cable stayed-bridge in india over river mandovi and witness how @BJP4India is #TransformingIndia.” (PTI)
Blaring midnight music on Noida road lands 3 behind bars
Noida: Three men were arrested on Monday for allegedly playing loud music around midnight with speakers mounted on a pickup truck, police said. A complaint was received around midnight about the accused men causing inconvenience to the people in Sector 10 area, going around with music blaring, the police said. “The people were getting inconvenienced. Some of them were angry and had started assembling on the road due to the disturbance,” said Inspector Manoj Kumar Pant, the in charge of the Sector 20 police station. Soon, Pant said, local police officials reached the area, intercepted the vehicle and tried to talk them through the situation. “It was around quarter past 12 in the night and the three were unrelenting, hence they were arrested on charges under the Code Of Criminal Procedure, 1973, and their pickup truck impounded,” he said. Those held have been identified as Aslam (22), Bunty (24) and Aman (18), all residents of Noida, the police said. They have been booked under CrPC Section 151 (arrest to prevent the commission of cognizable offences), 107 (security for keeping the peace), and related offences, the police said. Pant said the vehicle was impounded after the accused failed to show necessary documents. “The accused are being produced in a local court,” he added. On January 18, a DJ was sent behind bars after he was booked for playing “very loud music” during a wedding after 10 pm, in a first such arrest in Noida over noise pollution. (PTI)
Army soldier injured in J&K blast
Jammu: An Army soldier was injured on Monday in a mine blast along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district, officials said. During patrolling of the borderline, a mine exploded in Mendhar sector, resulting in injuries to the soldier, they said. He was taken to a hospital where his condition was stable, they said. (PTI)