National
HeliTaxi service opens between Bengaluru airport and city
Bengaluru, March 5 (IANS) A helicopter shuttle service (HeliTaxi) was opened in Bengaluru on Monday for the public between the Bengaluru airport and the city, in a bid to provide last-mile connectivity.
The Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL), located in Devanahalli, about 40 km from the city centre, had tied up with helicopter service provider Thumby Aviation to ferry air passengers to and from the city.
“We are currently operating the service from 6.30 a.m. to 9.30 a.m. and 3.15 p.m. to 6 p.m. between the airport and the city through a helicopter that can seat six passengers,” Thumby Chairman Group Captain K.N.G. Nair told IANS.
The fare for each passenger in the seven-seater (six passengers and a pilot) HeliTaxi is pegged at Rs 3,500 with additional taxes.
A commuter can opt for the helicopter shuttle service between BIAL and Electronic City in the south (about 70 km from the airport), which is home to hundreds of technology firms including, Infosys and other multinationals, or Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Airport in the city centre.
“Bengaluru needed a service like this much more than the other cities due to its poor road density (the measure of road length per square km area of land), as compared to other Indian cities,” said Nair.
The decision to launch the helicopter shuttle service was announced in August 2017 by Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha.
Currently, the chopper service provider has employed only one helicopter to ferry the air passengers and will increase the number depending on the demand.
The HeliTaxi is expected to make one to-and-fro trip per hour between the helipad at BIAL and Electronic City or HAL Airport.
The chopper service fare is comparable to a 5-7 seater luxury cab fare, which costs about Rs 3,000-4,000 from the city’s far end to the airport.
As India’s third busiest airport after New Delhi and Mumbai, Bengaluru has at least 60,000 fliers landing or taking off on working days.
–IANS
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National
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.