‘Stampedes, long queues, fighting and no social distancing whatsoever’:

‘Stampedes, long queues, fighting and no social distancing whatsoever’:

Passengers recount ‘worst travel experience ever’ at Delhi airport

Travel agents are advising people to hold off trips, as holiday rush and Omicron panic has resulted in a chaotic scenario at the airport

Niharika Lal

09.12.2021

The chaotic scenario and never-ending queues at Delhi airports have become a hot topic on social media recently, with netizens posting both concerned and tongue-incheek tweets, comparing the airport to a ‘train station’.

Mocking the Inception-like queue-within-a-queue-within-a-queue (you get the picture!) saga one has to face at the airport, comic Amit Tandon tweeted recently, “Lounge at Mumbai International Airport has a longer queue than the check in counter (sic)”. To this, someone replied – “can’t be longer than the line at Delhi airport to enter the airport”. At the same time, sharing a picture of the overcrowded Delhi airport, entrepreneur Kiran Mazumdar Shaw tweeted, “...Not A Train Station, This Is Delhi Airport Under Omicron Rules...it’s obvious that the airport testing upon arrival will cause pandemonium n a transmission hot spot - but who’s listening? (sic)”

DOMESTIC AIR TRAFFIC UP BY 0.5% DESPITE OMICRON: STUDY

India’s domestic air traffic went up by 0.5% recently, according to UK aviation data company OAG. In India, domestic airlines offered a total of 3.34 million seats last week, while this week the number was a tad higher at 3.36 million. In comparison, pre-Covid, in the first week of December 2019, domestic airlines offered a total of 3.5 million seats.

AIRPORT WAS CROWDED FOR TWO DAYS DUE TO NEW GUIDELINES, OPERATIONS ARE NOW SMOOTH, SAYS DELHI AIRPORT OFFICIAL

A Delhi airport official says, “While the airport was crowded for the initial two days after the guidelines were issued, operations are now smooth. People are also opting for RTPCR tests for which they can get results within 90 minutes and not miss their flight.” While talking about complaints regarding passengers’ temperatures not being checked, the officials said, “Body temperature is not checked at the airport because there is a mass thermal screening system installed to screen all passengers.” He adds, “We have also made provisions for separate parking for flights coming from high risk countries, so that they do not come in contact with other passengers.” Videh Kumar Jaipuriar, CEODIAL, said in a statement that apart from installing extra rapid RT-PCR machines and test counters, “We are also working closely with the immigration authorities to facilitate swift movement of passengers. Seating arrangements have been vastly expanded and food counters have been made available in the waiting area.”

A railway station is less crowded than the Delhi airport: Travellers

As per UK aviation data company OAG – domestic air traffic in India is up by 0.5% despite reports of rising Omicron cases. If anything, the newly detected COVID-19 variant has led to people preponing international travel plans, as those abroad scramble to find tickets to return home.

‘THERE WAS OVERCROWDING OUTSIDE THE AIRPORT, AT CHECK-IN, FOOD COUNTERS AND THE WAITING AREA’

A traveller who flew to London this week, described her airport experience as “quite chaotic”. “First, we had to wait in a queue for around 15-20 minutes to get inside. Once I entered the airport, it felt like the pandemic never happened! There was overcrowding at check-in queues, food counters and the waiting area. No one was following any social distancing, whatsoever,” she says.

The passenger adds, “I wouldn’t say it felt like a railway station, because I recently travelled by train and the station was definitely less crowded than the airport!” Another person, whose family flew to India, says they encountered a stampede-like situation at the airport and called it the “worst experience of their lives”.

On Monday, after pictures of long queues, chaos and crowd at the Delhi airport surfaced online, it was reported that aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia directed Delhi airport operator DIAL to implement better crowd management strategies.

‘PEOPLE WERE FIGHTING IN QUEUES TO GET THEIR COVID TEST RESULTS AT DELHI AIRPORT’

As revised travel guidelines were implemented in the wake of the new COVID variant, many flyers had to wait for hours to get their tests done and then wait for the results, which led to more crowding and chaos, say passengers. Aryaman Raj Sokhal, student of Cambridge University, who reached Delhi, last week, shares, “Before boarding my flight from Heathrow airport, I had to book an RT-PCR test on arrival, and had to choose a time slot. I was landing at 1.15am in Delhi, so I chose the 2-3am slot. On landing, I had to go to one desk to get a QR code, and then another for my COVID test. I was lucky to not find any queue at both places. However, after the test one has to wait for a PDF that is mailed to them, which can take up to 4-5 hours. After taking the print of the PDF, one has to get it stamped before they can proceed to immigration. The queue for the print out was long, and people were jumping it and fighting among themselves. It took me five hours to reach the luggage belt and finally leave the airport.”

‘IT WASN’T POSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING, PEOPLE WEREN’T EVEN WEARING MASKS’

Akshat, who works for a film production company and flew to Delhi this week from Mumbai, says, “It was one of my worst travel experiences. Flyers are panicking that we’ll go into lockdown any second, and so are desperate to reach their destination. At the same time, despite Omicron fears, flights are still serving food and operating at 100% occupancy. If you are lucky, then your flight’s air hostess may remind fellow passengers to wear a mask, but more often than not, people are being too careless about rules.”

Vidhur Dixit, who returned from London on December 6, adds, “I was scared after seeing the crowd at the Delhi airport. It just wasn’t possible to maintain social distancing and most people were not even wearing their masks properly.”

— with inputs from Divya Kaushik

MUMBAI, HYDERABAD AIRPORTS OFFER MOST EXPENSIVE RAPID TESTS

Under the new norms, passengers arriving from ‘at-risk’ nations have to undergo an RT-PCR test and wait for their results before they can leave the airport or take a connecting flight. They can choose between the regular and rapid versions of the test. At the Delhi airport, a rapid test costs a passenger ₹3,500, while results come in 60-90 minutes. A regular RT-PCR costs a passenger ₹500 and the results come in around six hours. Following are the prices of rapid tests in different cities:

Mumbai: ₹3,900

Hyderabad: ₹3900

Delhi: ₹3,500

Bengaluru: ₹3,000

Kolkata: ₹2,900

Chennai: ₹2,900

Cochin: ₹2,490

(Source: TOI)

BUDGET TRAVELLERS SHOULD AVOID AIRPORTS TRIPS RIGHT NOW, SAY TRAVEL AGENTS

Travel agents point out that they have been getting a lot of complaints from both, passengers flying out of the country and those flying in. Prachi, a travel agent says, “People are complaining about having to fill multiple forms on the flight and once they land at the airport, despite no one checking those forms. Some even told us that their temperature wasn’t checked at the airport. This includes not just Delhi, but all other major airports in the country. Families are facing more trouble than solo flyers, because test prices for them average at over ₹15,000. Passengers with connecting flights are facing a lot of trouble, too, because if they miss their next flight, who will compensate them?”

A senior staff member at a travel portal says, “We are advising people to hold off leisure travel plans for at least a week or ten days, as the current airport scenario is too chaotic. Budget travellers should avoid travelling at present.” Akash Rastogi, director of a travel company, adds that the current situation is more panic-induced.

‘Every able-bodied man’s moral duty to maintain wife’

‘Every able-bodied man’s moral duty to maintain wife’

New Delhi:  09.12.2021

A Delhi court has dismissed a plea challenging the payment of maintenance to his estranged wife, saying every able-bodied man is bound to maintain his wife and cannot run away from this responsibility by giving excuses.

District Judge Ramesh Kumar said that being the husband, he cannot escape from his moral duty of providing maintenance to his wife.

“The Domestic Violence Act, 2005 is aimed at strengthening the economic independence of a woman,” the court said in the order.

It further said the magistrate court rightly observed that the aspect of financial deprivation of women is included in the category of economic abuse. “It is pertinent to mention that an aggrieved woman needs economic support in view of the domestic violence perpetrated upon her by a person, who is in domestic relation with her.”

A magistrate court had earlier directed the man to pay an interim maintenance of Rs 6,500 per month to his wife. The man had challenged the order before the sessions court. TNN

Flyer from UK flees quarantine, taken back by Delhi policemen

Flyer from UK flees quarantine, taken back by Delhi policemen

Ipsita.Pati@timesgroup.com

Gurgaon:  09.12.2021

A passenger from the UK tested positive for Covid-19 on arrival at Indira Gandhi International Airport on Monday, left two isolation centres in Delhi to get himself admitted to Gurgaon’s Medanta hospital in the early hours of Tuesday and was finally tracked down by Delhi Police and taken back to an isolation facility in the capital.

It is not yet clear whether the patient is infected with the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, but district administration officials said that they could not afford to take any risk.

The 30-year-old man is a resident of DLF-1. Upon his return from the UK, his swab sample was positive, following which he was taken to Lok Nayak Hospital and advised institutional isolation. The patient insisted that he would bear the cost of treatment on his own and was taken in an ambulance to a private hospital in Saket. However, within hours, the man left that facility too and came to Medanta with the help of his relatives.

“The patient informed us that he had tested positive for Covid, showed the documents and got admitted to the hospital. Later, Delhi Police took him back to the isolation centre in the capital,” said Dr Sushila Kataria, an intensive care expert at Medanta.

The patient is currently admitted to Max Saket, which has been designated an isolation centre.

Asked why the patient was taken back to Delhi, she said, “There are eight isolation centres where international travellers who test positive for Covid are being isolated till their genome sequencing reveals the variant they are infected with. None of the Gurgaon hospitals is in the list. Therefore, the patient had to be taken to one of those centres.”

As per the Union health ministry’s directives, officials are supposed to mandatorily take swab samples of every flyer and isolate them in a separate unit of an institutional facility if they are found positive. Their contacts also need to be traced immediately, according to the guidelines.

75 years ago, a queen jumped to her death from Qutub Minar

TOI+ EXCLUSIVE

75 years ago, a queen jumped to her death from Qutub Minar

Rani Tara Devi Of Kapurthala Was A Czech Beauty Who Had Been A Rising Star At Vienna’s Burgtheater Before She Met Maharaja Jagatjit Singh And Accompanied Him To India. She Jumped Off The Qutub On December 9, 1946

Abhilash.Gaur@timesgroup.com

09.12.2021

By December 1946, the tall woman with wide-set eyes was a familiar sight at New Delhi’s Maidens Hotel. She had been staying there for about a month. Every day, she took her dogs out walking. But on the morning of the second Monday – December 9 – she came out of her suite alone, hailed a taxi and sped towards the Qutub Minar.

The 13th-century tower lay outside the capital, about 20km away. On arriving at the Minar, the woman left her handbag with the driver and started up the stairs. The Minar is taller than a 20-storey apartment building and not an easy climb even for someone in fine fettle. Had the driver glanced up, he couldn’t have read the look on her face when she appeared at the top. But he would have frozen in shock as she jumped to death.

A woman so beautiful that she had wowed Vienna’s elite on her first major stage appearance 11 years earlier, now lay smashed beyond recognition. Who was she? The contents of her handbag revealed she was Rani Tara Devi, 33-year-old estranged wife of Kapurthala’s ageing Maharaja, Jagatjit Singh.

After a post-mortem next morning, Tara Devi was buried at the Nicholson Cemetery near Kashmere Gate in Delhi, and forgotten.

A charmer on stage

But Tara Devi wasn’t her real name. A Kapurthala state declaration submitted to the British in 1940 mentions her name as ‘Engenie’ Marie Grosupova, which might have been a typist’s mistake. Eugenie is the more likely name.

The Rani was a Czech national, born on January 22, 1914. Dr Leon Pistol, who had been her guardian in Vienna from the age of 4 to 20 years, told the Canadian newspaper Photo Journal that she was the daughter of “a very wealthy member of the Hungarian nobility”. Before she accompanied the Maharaja to India, shortly before WW-II started, she had been a promising new dancer on Vienna’s most famous stage, the Burgtheater.

In 1935, Eugenie had landed a meaty role as Anitra in Henrik Ibsen’s drama Peer Gynt. The press admired her for her beauty, femininity and dancing. Austrian papers such as Die Stunde mentioned her as Nina Grosup-Karatsonyi. After her suicide, papers in America, Europe and Australia also used the name Nina Grosup, so did Pistol. So, Nina is what we’ll call her for the rest of this story.

A royal whim

After making a splash on the stage in 1935, why did Nina disappear from it? In April 1947, four months after her suicide, Pistol told Photo Journal that the Maharaja had been present at the Burgtheater during one of her performances. “Immediately after the performance, Nina’s mother called me to tell me that the Maharaja wanted to bring them all back (to India) with him,” the article written in French says.

Another article published in the Sydney edition of The World’s News on August 23, 1947, also says, “On the opening night she received an ovation from the crowd, and a huge bouquet of roses from the Maharaja of Kapurthala, who had been admiring the dancer from his box.”

Pistol said he opposed the Maharaja’s offer because Nina had signed a three-year contract with the Burgtheater, but “the suitor-royal simply shrugged his shoulders and offered to buy out the contract in question for $20,000.”

Soon after this, Nina, her then 46-year-old mother Marie Grosupova, and a 64-year-old maid/governess named Antonia Kaura, “followed the Maharaja to Paris, London, and finally, to India”.

It’s difficult to verify Pistol’s claims in detail but the International Herald Tribune of June 28, 1938, describes a luncheon hosted by the Maharaja at the George V hotel in Paris at which ‘Mme Grosup’ (Marie), ‘Mlle Grosup’ (Nina) and ‘Dr Pistol’ were among the guests. Clearly, Pistol’s story had a kernel of truth.

By the time WW-II started in 1939, the Grosups were installed at Jagatjit Palace in Kapurthala, although Nina and the Maharaja weren’t married until then.

Unhappy marriage

The Maharaja was well-known in Europe and America and his engagements were regularly covered, so strangely his marriage to Nina didn’t draw the press’s attention, maybe because it was absorbed by the war. But it is a fact that Nina and he were married, and she was given the Indian name Tara Devi, because the question of “the grant of a British passport to Rani Tara Devi (formally Miss Grosup, a Czechoslovak citizen), wife of His Highness the Maharaja of Kapurthala” did arise in 1942.

It wasn’t a happy marriage. Reports after Nina’s suicide said they had separated in 1945 and she had been living alone. Pistol said she had intended to visit America in December 1946 to settle there. The World’s News article said she had asked Pistol to buy her a house near New York City.

Was it suicide?

From the first, Pistol said he suspected foul play in Nina’s death. He alleged that a month before she died, she had written to him saying, “Every day when I go out with my dogs somebody is asking me questions and follows me. I don’t know what he wants.

He pursued the case for some years. The National Archives of India has a 1948 record of an “Enquiry by Mr Leon Pistol, guardian of late Rani Tara Devi of Kapurthala, regarding her death in 1946.” In 1952, Pistol also sent a request to the PM “for assistance and advice regarding investigation into the mysterious death in 1946 of Eugenie Grosup, popularly known as Rani Tara Devi of Kapurthala.” But by then, the Maharaja had died and the Rani, whom few knew while she lived in India, had been completely forgotten.

Tragedy in Nilgiris leaves political leadership in shock

Tragedy in Nilgiris leaves political leadership in shock

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:  09.12.2021

Top leaders of the country, including President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressed anguish over the sudden demise of CDS Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 other defence personnel in the helicopter crash on Wednesday.

“I am shocked and anguished,” the President tweeted. “The nation has lost one of its bravest sons. His four decades of selfless service to the motherland was marked by exceptional gallantry and heroism. My condolences to his family,” Kovind added. “It’s deeply painful for me to learn of the loss of lives in the chopper crash. I join the fellow citizens in paying tributes to each of those who died while performing their duty. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.”

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu said that Rawat was known for his remarkable leadership and strategic vision and added great strength to the defence capabilities and made a stellar contribution to strengthening the national security. “His outstanding service to our nation will always be remembered,” Naidu added.

Expressing anguish over the deaths in the crash, PM Modi said, “They served India with utmost diligence. My thoughts are with the bereaved families.”

Recalling Gen Rawat as an outstanding soldier and a true patriot, Modi said, “He greatly contributed to modernising our armed forces and security apparatus. His insights and perspectives on strategic matters were exceptional. His passing away has saddened me deeply.”

He further said that as India’s first CDS, Gen Rawat worked on diverse aspects, including defence reforms. “He brought with him a rich experience of serving in the Army. India will never forget his exceptional service.”

Defence minister Rajnath Singh said the untimely death of Gen Rawat was an irreparable loss to the armed forces and the country. “Gen Rawat served the country with exceptional courage and diligence,” he said.

“Praying for the speedy recovery of Group Capt Varun Singh, who is currently under treatment at the Military Hospital, Wellington,” Singh added.

Home minister Amit Shah said that it was a sad day for the nation. “His exemplary contributions and commitment cannot be put into words. I am deeply pained,” he said.

PM Modi tweeted this picture of CDS Rawat on Wednesday

Spike in Raj as 40 test +ve; Omicron cases at 9

Spike in Raj as 40 test +ve; Omicron cases at 9

Intishab.Ali@timesgroup.com

Jaipur:  09.12.2021

In a clear spike in Covid-19 cases, Rajasthan on Wednesday reported 40 coronavirus positive patients, 25 of whom are from Jaipur only. The state so far has nine confirmed cases of Omicron, all in the city. Eight relatives of a person from the city’s Vaishali Nagar, who had arrived from Germany on November 27 and tested positive two days ago, were found infected on Wednesday.

Besides, three more people from a family of 14 living in the city’s Adarsh Nagar locality were found positive on Wednesday. This family has already reported five confirmed cases of Omicron. Four relatives of the Adarsh Nagar family, who had arrived in the city from South Africa on November 25, had first tested positive for Omicron. Among these 11 new cases, five are children below 18 years — three from the Vaishali Nagar family and two from the Adarsh Nagar family. Suspecting the 11 cases reported from Vaishali Nagar and Adarsh Nagar to be Omicron infection, the health department has decided to send their samples for genome sequencing and isolate them at the dedicated Covid-19 RUHS Hospital.“All those who come in contact with Omicron-positive cases and test positive for Covid-19 are termed ‘suspected cases of Omicron’. Also, those who are coming in from ‘at risk’ countries and testing positive, and their contacts who test positive, too are suspected cases of the new variant,” said Dr Ajit Singh, superintendent, RUHS Hospital.

4 foreign returnees test +ve in Odisha

Four foreign returnees from “at-risk” countries have tested positive for coronavirus, Odisha health authorities confirmed on Wednesday, reports Riyan Ramanath. The samples of those infected have been sent to Insascog laboratory at the Institute of Life Sciences (ILS) to ascertain whether they are carrying the Omicron variant of the virus. “They have mild symptoms,” Niranjan Mishra, director of public health, said.

Saudi exempts Indian pilgrims from quarantine

Saudi exempts Indian pilgrims from quarantine

Mumbai:  09.12.2021

With Saudi Arabia exempting Umrah pilgrims from India from the requirement of five-day quarantine on reaching there, pilgrims and tour operators are ecstatic, reports Mohammed Wajihuddin.

While Haj is performed annually, Umrah or minor pilgrimage can be performed throughout the year. Though Saudi permitted visits of Umrah pilgrims to Haram Sharief in Mecca with some restrictions weeks ago, the 15-day quarantine requirement in a third country — UAE, Russia and Kazakhstan among others — or the five-day quarantine in Saudi Arabia discouraged them. “It is a relief to both the tour operators and pilgrims. We would get a number of enquiries daily about Umrah visas, but were helpless because of the quarantine requirement. Now, the number of Indian pilgrims Umrah will rise,” said Yusuf Ahmed Khereda of Al Khalid Tours and Travels.“I am so excited that I have got a Umrah visa and will soon travel to Saudi Arabia to pray at the holy mosques in Mecca and Medina and be at the mausoleum of the holy Prophet,” said Imtiyaz Vilatra, country head of corporate house Posterscope OOH.

Raj principal, 14 staffers booked over ‘gang rape’

Raj principal, 14 staffers booked over ‘gang rape’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Alwar/Jaipur:  09.12.2021

The principal of a government school at Bhiwadi in Rajasthan’s Alwar and his entire staff of 14 has been named in three FIRs alleging gangrape and molestation of schoolgirls on campus.

Bhiwadi SP Ram Murti Joshi said the FIRs were registered on Tuesday under the Pocso Act, based on complaints of sexual assault lodged by the families of five schoolgirls against the staff. The alleged incidents allegedly took place before offline classes were suspended last year. “We are also probing the role of an exteacher of the same school who was jailed in 2020 for sexually assaulting a minor. All staff members mentioned in FIRs were witnesses in that case,” the SP said. “We need to confirm if the FIRs were filed at the behest of the former teacher.”

UP school owner accused of sedating and molesting 17 minors arrested

The owner of the school, where 17 girls of class 10 were allegedly sedated and molested, was arrested on Tuesday. While assistant SP (Sadar) Krishna Kumar claimed that the special operations group arrested the accused, sources said that he surrendered at Purkazi police station in Uttar Pradesh. He was produced in court on Wednesday and has been remanded in judicial custody for 14 days till December 21. TNN

Night temp drops to 12.5°, Bhopal may get colder

Night temp drops to 12.5°, Bhopal may get colder

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bhopal:  09.12.2021

The night temperature dipped by three degrees to settle at 12.5 degrees Celsius in Bhopal on Wednesday. The previous night was a bit warmer at 15.6 degrees. Officials of the meteorological department, Bhopal circle said, the temperatures are set to dip further across the state in the days to come.

There is no system or moisture incursion over the state and as such, dry weather would prevail. This may intensify the winter in the state, the officials said. They also issued a warning of fog for a few places in the state.

The day temperature in Bhopal on Wednesday was recorded at 25.2 degree Celsius, two degrees less than normal mark, while night temperature (12.5 degrees), was still a degree above the normal mark. Wind direction was north-easterly with an average speed of 14 kmph. A day earlier, maximum and minimum temperature in Bhopal was respectively at 24.7 degrees Celsius and 15.6 degrees Celsius.

The places in the state that recorded fog in the morning were Chhatarpur, Niwari and Tikamgarh. In the forecast for Bhopal on Thursday, the meteorological officials said, there would be clear sky and dry weather. Day and night temperature would be 25 and 12 degrees respectively with an average wind speed of 14 kmph.

In the forecast for other parts of the state, the officials said the weather would be dry over remaining places in the state, the officials added.

‘Poor visibility, not technical fault, likely crash cause’

‘Poor visibility, not technical fault, likely crash cause’

U Tejonmayam & V Ayappan TNN

Chennai:  09.12.2021

Foggy conditions and poor visibility could be factors that caused the Mi-17 V5 carrying CDS Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife and several others to crash in Coonoor, aviation experts said, though official word on the reason for Wednesday’s fatal accident is awaited.

They said chances of technical faults are remote because it was a planned flight with VIP passengers. “The chopper is capable of flying in bad weather, but the terrain was hilly and it appears to have fallen from a low altitude,” an expert said.

Visibility may have dropped considerably because of foggy conditions or low clouds over Coonoor around 11.30am on Wednesday. According to the IMD, Coonoor reported 4mm rainfall till 8.30am on Wednesday and the maximum temperature during the day was 19o C.

“We had forecast light to moderate rainfall in hill stations. Only for the plains we had forecast mist or fog. It is difficult to forecast fog for valleys and hilly terrain because both satellite and radar cannot capture that. Fog conditions can be reported only by seeing it. Even then it is difficult to differentiate between fog and low clouds,” said N Puviarasan, director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, IMD Chennai.

Experts said fog appears as a cloud near ground level, reducing visibility. Fog usually forms at a relative humidity of about 100% that may occur when there is increased moisture in the air or when the temperature is decreasing.

IMD officials said they were not asked for local weather conditions during VIP movement to Wellington and the IAF has its own facility to track it. “They don’t share weather conditions or forecasts from their area either,” an official said.

Skymet Weather chief meteorologist Mahesh Palawat said Coonoor had shallow fog and cloudy weather on Wednesday morning (8.30am) and dense fog with nearly no visibility at 5.30pm. “There could be shallow fog or low clouds during the day,” he said.

No May Day call before crash, says Coimbatore ATC

In contact with destination control.” That was the last message from the pilot of the Mi-17V5 to Coimbatore ATC before the aircraft changed over to the defence ATC around five minutes from landing at the Wellington base on Wednesday. The changeover happened at around 4,000 ft, before it crashed, reports V Ayappan.

Coimbatore ATC sources said there was no May Day call, which is usually transmitted on open VHF frequency for all to hear. Only rarely do they transmit such calls for help on an exclusive emergency frequency, said an official. “The helicopter was supposed to return within 10 minutes of dropping off the passengers,” the official said. The chopper’s movement was not tracked on radar because Coimbatore does not have one that can map low-altitude flights.

AI cameras at KSR station will see through your mask

AI cameras at KSR station will see through your mask

Full-Fledged Launch From Next Month

Christin.MathewPhilip@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru: 09.12.2021

Last month, a 41-year-old mentally disturbed woman went missing from east Bengaluru. The Railway Protection Force (RPF)’s control room in Bengaluru division received an alert and photograph of the woman at 11.35pm from a group of citizens. At 11.47pm, RPF personnel managed to trace the woman who was wearing a fullmask at KSR Bengaluru City railway station. The swift tracking happened with the help of AI-enabled face-recognition cameras.

“We could trace her in just 12 minutes. In fact, relatives of the woman were also surprised that we could find her in such a short time,” said a RPF official.

For the past nine months, a trial run of recognition cameras was on at the station. South Western Railway (SWR) officials said a fullfledged launch of the Rs 2.4-crore project will be held from next month.

“We have installed 120 of the 150 AI-enabled cameras. We could identify 43 criminals in the last nine months through this system. We’ll install them at 18 more stations in Bengaluru division,” said a senior SWR official.

A TOI report, ‘KSR, Yeshwantpur railway stations to get face-recognition cameras’ (May 6, 2019), had highlighted the plan. While facemasks are mandatory in public places after Covid-19, SWR officials said these cameras will detect people with masks too. Face-recognition cameras will recognise the face of a repeat offender/wanted persons involved in human trafficking, child kidnapping, smuggling, terrorist activities and other cases, then alert in cases of overcrowding stations, unclaimed baggage/ objects, keep track of those who frequent ticket counters, including touts. “We never anticipated that all will have to wear face-masks. But we had thought of people entering the station covering their faces, using sunglasses or hats and other scenarios, so it has come handy now,” said an official.

Asked about privacy concerns, another official said: “We’re not storing any data. We’re just matching faces in the database to records. In fact, most airports also have face-recognition cameras. Only criminals need to worry about this.”

UNDER SCANNER: RPF Bengaluru division’s command control centre where inputs from the cameras are monitored

HOW DOES THE SYSTEM WORK

These hi-tech cameras capture facial images at the railway station. The system has a database of criminal offenders from Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System (CCTNS) and state police. If a blacklisted repeat offender match is found in CCTV feed, alerts will be given to the command-and-control room which is being monitored by a team of RPF staff round-theclock as well as 25 mobile phones of senior officials.

Live CCTV feeds are also displayed on multiple screens at the 16X10 feet video-wall at the control room.

These cameras will help us trace wanted persons, especially those involved in child trafficking. It will also ensure safety of women passengers. We’ll be able to track people with criminal backgrounds without delay

Shyam Singh | BENGALURU DIVISIONAL RAILWAY MANAGER

As part of protest, resident docs sport black badges

As part of protest, resident docs sport black badges

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bengaluru: 09.12.2021

Resident doctors and interns from across the state sported black badges in a symbolic protest as part of their indefinite strike called by Karnataka Association of Resident Doctors (KARD).

Junior resident doctors and interns had launched an indefinite strike on November 29 over, among other demands, unpaid Covid allowances, and had boycotted outpatient department (OPD) duties and elective services. They returned to work in OPDs on December 3. However, patients have not been put to hardship. One doctor said since they have not received a convincing response from the government, they decided to launch the symbolic protest beginning Wednesday, while continuing to keep OPD and other services functioning. 

In a press release, KARD said that they will observe ‘Placard Day’ on Thursday and on Friday they will hold a candlelight vigil. Among their demands are payment of Covid allowance (Rs 10,000 per month) announced by the government from April 2021, roll back of fee hike, and expediting the NEET-PG 2021 admission process.

Airline staff at KIA force 4-yr-old to undergo test

Airline staff at KIA force 4-yr-old to undergo test

Petlee.Peter@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru:  09.12.2021

A four-year-old boy, a citizen of the United States, was forced to take the Covid-19 test at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) after ground staff of a domestic airline refused to allow him to accompany his parents on a holiday to Port Blair without a negative report.

This is in clear violation of guidelines issued by the Union ministry of health and family welfare, which states those under five years of age are exempted from pre-departure and post-arrival tests and shows a lack of awareness about Covid-19 protocols among airline staff.

Rajdeep Ganguly, a top IT engineer with a major computer chipmaker, his wife and their four-year-old son, all US passport holders and residents of Koramangala, decided to go on a holiday to Port Blair in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He booked tickets on Go First Airways (previously Go Air) and they were scheduled to fly out from KIA on flight G8 1802 on November 27.

The family arrived at the airport at 8am and were in for a rude shock when Go First’s ground staff at the check-in counter demanded an RTPCR negative report for their son. Ganguly and his wife are fully vaccinated and, as per rules, don’t need a negative test report.

“I explained to the airline staffer that protocol issued by the Union health ministry specifically exempts children below the age of five from RTPCR tests, but he refused to listen. He rudely replied that ‘if the boy tests negative, he flies with you’,” Ganguly said. The parents demanded that they be shown the clause in the rule book which mandates the test, but airline staff refused to listen.

Ganguly also contacted Andaman and Nicobar Islands Integrated Development Corporation Ltd to doubly ascertain if his son needs a negative report. When they landed in Port Blair later that day, they were told the test was “unnecessary”.

With Go First ground staff refusing to budge and time running out, the 43-yearold father rushed with the boy to the Auriga Research Covid testing centre outside the airport. Taking pity on their plight, some flyers allowed them to jump the queue and the child took the rapid PCR test. The duo then dashed back into the airport to collect a printout of the negative report.

The family was in for another shock when they handed in the result to the ground staff. “The Go First manager didn’t even bother looking at the result but checked the test payment receipt for Rs 3,000 and directed us towards boarding. There was another family at the time with an unwell child, but the airline staff didn’t spare them as well,” added the IT engineer.

TOI contacted Go First for its reaction, but there was no response despite emails, messages and phone calls.

6 docs among 10 +ve since Nov 29 at city med college

6 docs among 10 +ve since Nov 29 at city med college

LAX PROTOCOL? Concern Growing Over Breakthrough Cases At Vydehi Institute, Other Hospitals Across The State

Sunitha.Rao@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru: 09.12.2021

In continuing breakthrough infections, 10 healthcare workers, including six doctors, from Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre in Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP) Mahadevapura zone tested positive for Covid-19 since November 29.

Samples from four of them, who had a high viral load, have been sent for genomic sequencing and reports are awaited. Hospital authorities say this should not be viewed as a cluster outbreak since all cases did not happen at once.

While none of them have travel history, sources say they may have contracted the infection from the community. The index case, a 54-yearold doctor, came under BBMP’s scanner on November 29 and the Palike has since conducted 204 tests in the hospital and the attached medical college hostel.

Sources say that the medical college hospital had a closed-door meeting with all staff on December 2. “Despite having a severe cough, a doctor who had given samples for the Covid test, attended the meeting. That evening, the result showed she was positive for Covid and the doctor stopped coming to work from December 3.”

“Primary and secondary contacts in the hostel, departments of paediatrics and oncology have been tested. Of the 10, three were hospitalised and have recovered,” said R Venkatachalapathy, joint commissioner, Mahadevapura. All of them are currently in home isolation.

Dr Ravindra Reddy, nodal officer for Covid, Vydehi, while insisting that this should not be classified as a cluster, said: “We didn’t have all 10 cases at the same time. While testing contacts, some returned positive for the disease. Some are from the hostel and had not had any contact with Covid-19 positive doctors. These are all isolated cases.”

He said that at present, all 10 are fine and that most of them had no symptoms. BBMP authorities said a repeat RT-PCR test will be conducted at the Vydehi campus on Friday (December 10). Sources say the wife of a Covid-19 positive doctor from Vydehi, who works at another private medical college in north Bengaluru, has also tested positive. However, this could not be confirmed with authorities at the medical college where she works.

Given that all 10 were fully vaccinated, the cases raise concerns about healthcare workers, who have taken both doses of the vaccine, contracting the infection. Staffers in other medical institutions in Bengaluru and across the state, who were fully vaccinated, have also tested positive.

About a fortnight ago, in one of the biggest clusters in recent times, more than 300 students at SDM College of Medical Sciences in Dharwad district tested positive.

At Nimhans, of the 826 Covid tests conducted so far this month, four people — two staffers and two family members of one of the staffers — had tested positive. Dr Muralidharan Kesavan, medical superintendent, Nimhans, said that these routine tests conducted in the hospital have not shown any alarming rise in cases: The positivity rate has been less than 0.5%. In November, there were five positive cases, including patients and staffers, and in October there were a total 12 cases, Kesavan said.

Prior to this, Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research had seen five of its doctors testing positive in the third week of November. Dr C Nagaraj, Covid technical advisory committee member and director of Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Chest Diseases, says there’s a need to conduct reorientation sessions for healthcare workers on maintaining Covid-appropriate behaviour.

“In our hospital, one doctor tested positive in November but none of his contacts tested positive. I feel that there is a need to reorientate staff on Covid-appropriate behaviour such as always wearing a mask,” Dr Nagaraj said.

GETTING THE JOB DONE: A healthcare worker administers a dose of the Covid-19 vaccine at a roadside camp in Bengaluru on Wednesday

Australia finds new Omicron ‘lineage’ in arrival from S Africa

 Australia finds new Omicron ‘lineage’ in arrival from S Africa

09.12.2021

Australia’s Queensland state has found a new Omicron lineage in a traveller who arrived from South Africa, health authorities said Wednesday. The new lineage has about half the gene variations of the original and can’t be detected with typical screening, the state’s acting chief health officer Peter Aitken told reporters. It was found in a traveller who had arrived from South Africa and tested positive for the coronavirus on Saturday, he said. The new lineage has enough markers “to be able to classify it as omicron, but we don’t know enough about it as to what that means then as far as clinical severity, vaccine effectiveness,” Aitken said. “We now have Omicron and Omicron-like.” The discovery comes as Queensland prepares to reopen border to the rest of Australia next Monday. BLOOMBERG

Oz dreams of students drown under virus fears

Oz dreams of students drown under virus fears

Preeti.Biswas@timesgroup.com

Hyderabad: 07.12.2021

Jobless and debtridden, thousands of Australia-bound professionals, including those from Telangana and AP, are stranded in India for the last 21 months with little hope to return to Australia.

After pursuing education in Australia, international students can avail temporary graduate visa (subclass 485) that enables them to work in Australia for two years. Following completion of studies in November-December 2019 and securing work visa, many returned to India to meet families. But lockdown led to Australian government sealing borders, leaving many stuck.

Bagudu Giribabu, 27, returned after almost three years of education in Central Queensland University in Melborne in December 2019. “I had a work visa valid till December, 2021. I planned to stay in India till March, 2020. However, pandemic has been a nightmare. I lost my father in June 2020 to an accident. Now, I am the bread-winner of my family with ₹30 lakh loan. EMIs begin this month,” said Giribabu, whose work visa is to expire by December 9.

Mounika Nama, 27, got married in Australia and returned to India with her husband in February 2020. Now, she is stranded in India with an expired temporary graduate visa. “For six months in the pandemic, I spent $2,000 per month on rent. Later, I got my belongings shifted to a rental space where I spent $600 per month. This, in addition to my education loan. Me and my husband are in financially weak condition. Australia government is not allowing our return,” said Nama.

Many students are unable to apply for jobs here as original certificates are in Australia. Although Australia said it’ll allow temporary graduate visa holders to apply for a visa replacement from June, 2022, many rue it would lead to a loss of another six months.

Doctors protest delay in PG NEET counselling

Doctors protest delay in PG NEET counselling

They are only performing COVID duties

07/12/2021

Up in arms: Resident doctors staging a protest in the Capital on Monday. SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR Shiv Kumar Pushpakar

Staff Reporter New Delhi

Over 4,000 resident doctors of the Central Government-run Safdarjung Hospital, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, and Lady Hardinge Medical College on Monday boycotted work, as a protest against the delay in PG NEET counselling, said the Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA).

“Over 4,000 resident doctors from the three hospitals boycotted work except for COVID-19 duties. The counselling for PG admission is stuck as the matter is pending before the Supreme Court,” FORDA president Manish said.

A FORDA delegation also met the Union Health Minister at RML Hospital. “The Health Minister assured us that he has taken note of our grievances and that the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare will get the case mentioned in the SC for an early hearing,” FORDA said.

Medico drives drunk, injures 4 hotel workers

Medico drives drunk, injures 4 hotel workers

07/12/2021

Staff Reporter Hyderabad

Four hotel workers suffered injuries after being hit by a car driven by a medico, driving under the influence of alcohol, at Madhapur here on Sunday night.

Around 11.30 p.m. when the victims were walking on the road near Inorbit Mall, a speeding car driven by Ammathalli Nikhil Kumar Reddy (26), an MBBS graduate from Maseedbanda, Kondapur, hit them. The victims were rushed to a nearby private hospital for immediate medical assistance.

According to Madhapur police Reddy along with his friends and flatmates, Gottumukkula Akhil Ramakrishna Raju (24) and Mendu Tharun (24), both medicos, consumed liquor at a bar in Gachibowli and were returning home.

Reddy’s blood alcohol content was 116 mg/100 ml against the permissible limit of 30 mg/100 ml.

Medical college ‘hushes up’ ragging incident

Medical college ‘hushes up’ ragging incident

07/12/2021

“The committee submitted its report only on Saturday and over 100 students of Saravanan’s batch were questioned and they said the four students were known to commit such an offence. We had to verify before taking action,” said Ms. Amuthavalli. The accused students were from Dharmapuri.

But asked about the absence of police complaint given that ragging was a serious offence, the Dean said an AR entry (accident register) was made at the time of admission and it was for the police to check the entry.

SP C. Kalaichelvan, however, said, “The first time no direct intimation was given by the hospital to the police. It is standard procedure that upon admission of any person with injuries [in suspicious circumstances], the police should be intimated.” It was projected as a scuffle between students and the hospital wanted it to be handled as an internal matter, he said. Saravanan, meanwhile, sent a mail to the Medical Commission, feeling let down by the perceived delay in the inquiry. The deputy warden, and the chief warden of the hostel, both associate professors at the hospital, resigned from their wardenship on Monday.

Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State’s health helpline 104 and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050.

GRH radiologist suspended

GRH radiologist suspended

07/12/2021

Special Correspondent MADURAI

The Director of Medical Education, Chennai, on Monday, has suspended a radiologist of Government Rajaji Hospital on a charge of sexual harassment.

A woman had come for scan to the hospital on November 27. The radiologist, it is alleged, misbehaved with the patient on the pretext of examining her. The patient narrated the incident to Dean A. Rathinavel, who asked the patient to lodge a complaint. Dr. Rathinavel placed the patient’s written complaint before an internal committee. After inquiry, the committee sent the observations based on which the DME ordered the suspension of the radiologist.

The radiologist claimed before the committee that he was being targeted by some of his seniors since he questioned their action during COVID-19 pandemic.

Maharashtra Omicron tally goes up to 10

Maharashtra Omicron tally goes up to 10

Two who arrived from South Africa and U.S. test positive

07/12/2021

More surveillance: A health worker collecting swab samples for COVID-19 testing in Mumbai on Monday. PTI

Staff Reporter Mumbai

Maharashtra on Monday reported two more patients with the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, taking its total tally in the State to 10.

One of them is a 37-year-old man who came from Johannesburg, South Africa, on November 25. His 36-year-old friend, who came from the U.S. the same day, has also tested positive for the new variant, the State Public Health Department said.

Both patients have no symptoms and have been admitted to Seven Hills Hospital in Mumbai. They have taken Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. Five high-risk and 315 low-risk contacts of both these patients have been traced. Further tracing is currently under way.

All 6,263 international passengers from at-risk countries and 635 of the 28,437 who arrived from other countries at three international airports in the State — Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur — have undergone RT-PCR test. Only 11 from at-risk countries tested positive for COVID-19.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Government on Monday reduced the rates for RT-PCR tests. A sum of ₹350 will be charged for the pick up of sample from collection sites, transport and reporting of sample. And ₹500 will be charged for collection from kiosks, COVID-19 care centres, hospitals and clinics and quarantine centres. A sum of ₹700 will be charged for collection of sample from the patient’s residence.

Labs cannot charge more than the prescribed limit from patients, said Public Health Minister Rajesh Tope.

S. African booked for flying out after testing Omicron positive

S. African booked for flying out after testing Omicron positive

His negative COVID-19 report under a cloud; India in touch with Dubai authorities

07/12/2021

Intensifed scan: A health worker collecting swab samples for COVID-19 test in Bengaluru on Monday. K. MURALI KUMAR MURALI KUMAR K

Bengaluru Bureau Bengaluru

The Bengaluru city police have registered a case against a South African national, who tested positive for the Omicron variant but left the country three days later based on a negative COVID-19 test report that has now come under suspicion.

The police have also booked the hotel management where he was under quarantine and let him go without informing the civic authorities.

Though Revenue Minister R. Ashok had said an investigation will be carried out against the laboratory that gave the patient a negative report, the FIR doesn’t list the laboratory as an accused. “We had mentioned the laboratory in our complaint. I will ask our officials to look into the issue,” said Gaurav Gupta, Chief Civic Commissioner of Bengaluru.

Sources said Indian authorities were in touch with their counterparts in Dubai, to where the patient had left. They are also in touch with the South African authorities, sources said.

The police booked the South African national, Mahendra Chibabhai, 66, and the management of a hotel charging them under Karnataka Epidemic Disease Act and under Section 269 (negligent act to spread infection), Section 271 (disobedience of Quarantine Rule) and Section 114 (abetment to offence).

The complaint said the man had landed in the city on November 20 and tested positive for COVID-19 at the airport. He was sent to the hotel and kept in a separate room for 14 days quarantine.

Despite specific instructions to the staff to alert the BBMP officials at the time of his check-out, the management allowed him to leave on November 27 without informing the BBMP, the civic body has alleged.

Upon inquiry, the management justified their action stating he had submitted a COVID-negative certificate from the lab at the time of check-out.

Air passenger tests positive for infection

Air passenger tests positive for infection

07/12/2021

Staff Reporter TIRUCHI

A 63-year-old man who landed at the Tiruchi International Airport on Sunday night tested positive for COVID-19.

The patient was admitted to the special ward for international travellers at the Tiruchi Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital on Monday. His test samples have been sent for genome sequencing to identify the variant of virus.

The man hails from Mayiladuthurai. Health officials said he had mild symptoms.

“We are treating him for the symptoms and will continue to monitor him,” an official said.

Egmore-Salem Express to be operated daily

Egmore-Salem Express to be operated daily

07/12/2021

Staff ReporterSalem

The Chennai Egmore – Salem Jn. – Chennai Egmore Super Fast Express would be operated on a daily basis from December 13, a release said.

According to a release from Salem Railway Division, the service resumed on December 3 as a tri-weekly.

According to a release, the frequency of the trains would be increased and would be operated as daily superfast express trains.

Train no.22153 Chennai Egmore – Salem Jn. Super Fast Express will be operated as a daily train service from December 13.

Train no.22154 Salem Jn. – Chennai Egmore Super Fast Express will be operated as a daily train service from December 14, the release said.

The trains would be operated as fully reserved trains.

The trains would be composed of one AC 2-tier, four AC 3-tier, eight sleeper class, two general second class and two luggage-cum-brake van coaches, the press release added.

Madurai college official booked under POCSO Act gets bail

Madurai college official booked under POCSO Act gets bail

Released at night after surrendering passport; to report to cops daily

Published: 07th December 2021 05:45 AM 

By Shobana Radhakrishnan

Express News Service

MADURAI: Less than a week after ordering judicial custody, Dindigul Mahila Court granted bail to the private nursing college correspondent, one P Jothimurugan, who was booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, following students’ complaints. He was released on bail on Saturday night.

Alleging that many girl students were sexually abused by Jothimurugan, the students of the private nursing college in Muthanampatti staged a protest on November 19. Of the three students who came forward to file a police complaint, two were aged below 18. Following the protests, the college was closed indefinitely. Meanwhile, Jothimurugan surrendered at Polur Judicial Magistrate Court in Thiruvannamalai on November 23 and was locked in the Vellore Central Prison.

According to sources, a bail petition was filed on behalf of Jothimurugan at Dindigul Mahila Court last week. On Saturday, he was taken from Palani sub-jail to Dindigul Government Hospital at 8.30 pm as he was allegedly sick. The Mahila Court Judge S Purushothaman, who reviewed the bail petition on Saturday, granted the bail at night on conditions of him surrendering his passport and paying the bail amount of Rs 20,000. He ordered that Jothimurugan should sign at the Vadamadurai police station every day.

N Ilango, General Secretary of Madurai Bench of Madras High Court Bar Association, said that the first Saturday of all subordinate courts is a working day. “There might be several reasons for the order to be passed during the night hours and it is totally within the discretionary power of the court. The bail order should be submitted to the prison authorities on the same day, failing which, it would be considered illegal custody. However, the prisoners are not released after 6 pm usually as the prisoners’ count is already submitted for the day before 6 pm. Even if the bail was granted on a Saturday night, the prison authorities should have released the prisoner on Monday,” he added.